


Rush

by Mikotyzini



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-01-06 08:40:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 150,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18384908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikotyzini/pseuds/Mikotyzini
Summary: Weiss always knew what life had in store for her - she would grow up, marry the man her parents had chosen, and live out the rest of her days in a cold, lonely mansion. A path set in stone, she didn't dare dream of anything else - she didn't dare desire anything else. Until she met Ruby.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! If you don't know me already, my name's Miko and I've been posting fanfics on fanfiction.net for several years now. I just started this AO3 account and will be re-posting my stories here over the following weeks, beginning with Rush.
> 
> While my other stories will be straight forward reposts, Rush is a special situation. You see, last year I went through and updated the entire story, and those updated chapters are what you'll read here.
> 
> So yes, you can find the entire story on fanfiction.net, but that version will be updated at the same time as this one. In a nutshell, if you read at the same time as AO3, you're getting the new version. If you skip forward through fanfiction.net, you're reading the old version.
> 
> Anyway, hope that makes sense, and I hope you enjoy the story!

Perception was a funny thing sometimes.

To onlookers and passersby, this was the happiest day of her life - dressed in an exquisite white dress, surrounded by thousands of red roses, standing in a beautiful church, minutes from marrying one of the city’s most eligible bachelors…

Vale’s most elite had gathered for the big day, anxiously waiting just beyond a pair of heavy, solid oak doors. And, for the first time in years, her mother was practically giddy with happiness.

Perception…

But reality...reality was staring her straight in the face.

As liquid silver eyes pooled with tears in front of her, the remainder of her heart crumbled to dust. Soft hands tightly clutching hers only amplified the pain - pain of her own doing.

“Please...Weiss, you can’t marry him. I know you don’t love him...I know you love me!”

What had brought her to this moment - where perception was so far removed from reality? How had her life, which had been scripted since birth, suddenly flipped upside down?

It all started on that cool, fall day, several months ago…


	2. Chapter 2

Strolling down a narrow aisle hedged by long, wooden tables on either side, Weiss reached out one hand and lightly brushed it across silky petals and firm, green leaves.It was probably frowned upon to touch the flowers, but she liked the way the delicate plants bowed under her touch before springing back to the way they once were, refusing to bend to her whim for long.They looked gentle and delicate but held their shape when outside forces tried to mold them.They bent but wouldn’t break - not that easily. 

Beauty, grace, and surprising strength.

In front of each row of potted plants was a small, white name card that identified the species. 

Orchids, lilies, tulips, roses, poinsettias…

The ceiling arched high above her head, but the sunlight beating through panes of glass filled the building with warmth, making it even a bit stuffy inside.It certainly wasn’t a comfortable temperature for a person to exist in for long, but the flowers thrived in the environment - their various colors beautiful enough for a painting, while their wonderful fragrances filled the humid air.

Thus far, the nursery lived up to its reputation as the best in Vale.The massive, enclosed greenhouse seemed to hold every type of plant in existence - no matter how exotic - and every table she passed was meticulously maintained, with not a single dead leaf to be found as the flowers bloomed in unison.

Carnations, sunflowers, violets, peonies…

Of course, if the nursery hadn’t been deemed the ‘best,’ there was no way Weiss would even be here.Not that she had any personal issue with other nurseries, but - to her mother - only the best was remotely acceptable.A subpar greenhouse might as well be a slap in the face. 

Dropping her hand to her side, Weiss turned down the next aisle of plants in pursuit of her mother and the attendant assigned to assist them.The middle-aged woman babbled on and on about every flower they passed, with Weiss’ mother passing judgment on every word.From the stammers and way-too-fast speaking, it was painfully obvious that the nursery employee was nervous, but doing her best to hide behind as many plant facts as possible. 

There was no shame in being nervous.The current matriarch of the Schnee name was haughty and intimidating - intentionally so.From her perfectly-styled wardrobe that cost more than most people made in a year, to her critical gaze and terse demands, Weiss’ mother was the epitome of social elitism.

“These daisies would make a wonderful bouquet,” the woman said, lifting up several of the dainty white-and-yellow flowers.They were inspected for under a second before a curt shake of the head moved them to the next contestant.

Neither woman seemed to care that Weiss’ attention was elsewhere.They were too busy trying to pick out the _perfect_ flower with the _perfect_ color and the _perfect_ smell - because if it wasn’t _perfect_ , the world was likely on the verge of being destroyed by a Schnee-sized hissy fit. 

It was just as well...Weiss didn’t care what flowers were decided upon in the end.

Midway through another aisle brimming with plants, her eyes caught sight of a set of glass double doors leading outside.Through the glass, she could see the outdoor display area directly beyond, where more tables and more flowers were found - but no customers at the moment.

“I’m going to look around,” Weiss directed towards the two women in front of her - who either didn’t hear or didn’t care to respond to her words.

Taking silence as acceptance of her departure, she walked over to the door and hesitantly pushed down on the long, metal door handle.Finding it unlocked, she shoved it open and stepped outside before allowing it to swing shut behind her.

The crisp autumn air was a breath of relief after being trapped in the warm, muggy greenhouse for so long.A slight chill nipped at her cheeks and hands, but the feeling was invigorating rather than unwelcome - the bite of approaching winter breathing life back into her bones. 

Glancing around, she found herself on the very edge of the store’s property within an outdoor viewing area.A short, metal railing hemmed her in on three sides with the greenhouse towering behind her.The small parking lot lay to her right, while a quiet street was in just across the railing and sidewalk from her.Across the street from her was the entrance to a small neighborhood park - a large, green space split by paved walkways headed towards the woods in the distance.

Absentmindedly dragging her hand across the few flowers that could survive the chilly weather outside, she walked to the row of wooden tables separating her from the sidewalk.Running her fingers along the leaves of the plants in front of her, she allowed her gaze to drift to the park, watching the people come and go.

Joggers, walkers, passersby...they all looked like they were having a good day despite the recent onset of cold weather.It had been unseasonably warm until a few days ago, when fall finally decided to announce its presence.But, regardless of the new chill in the air, everyone was making the most of their dwindling opportunity to spend time outdoors.

Hearing a small bark followed by a laugh, Weiss’ attention moved to a girl who was clearly having a _great_ day.

The young brunette was wearing jeans, a dark red zip-up hoodie and sneakers, but it wasn’t her appearance that was altogether eye-catching - it was the sight of her chasing a tiny, grey-and-white dog around a metal park bench, giggling hysterically while she did so.

The dog ran in tight circles, using his diminutive size to his advantage as he made rapid turns around the bench.The girl - who looked agile and fast by human standards - was nowhere near quick enough to catch her small pet.Yet she still tried.

The commotion caught the eye of everyone passing by - who responded with a curious look or small grin - but no one interrupted the unspoken game taking place.And, on the girl’s part, she either didn’t notice or didn’t care about the looks she received - far too focused on catching up to the grey-and-white pup barking happily in front of her.

The two continued like this for several loops until, all of a sudden, the dog was chasing the girl instead of the other way around.She squealed when the dynamic switched, racing away as fast as she could while the tiny creature playfully nipped at her heels.At several points, the dog managed to grab ahold of the back of her pant leg, drawing another loud squeal into the air. 

Weiss smiled while watching the interaction unfold, because it was one of the most purely joyous moments she’d witnessed in quite some time.Whoever this girl was, she was having the time of her life doing something as simple as chasing her dog around a park bench.Weiss was somewhat envious of how easy the girl made happiness seem. 

If only it was as simple as having a dog, a park bench, and the ability to laugh...if that was the case, Weiss could buy all those things today.However, she sincerely doubted it was enough to make her problems miraculously disappear.

If only.

In a clever attempt to escape, the girl abruptly changed direction and tried to hop over the bench - only for her right foot to catch on the back of it and send her crashing head first to the grass with a thud that Weiss heard across the street.

Weiss’ hands stilled as concern filled her, wondering if she should call out or run to get help.But the feeling quickly disappeared when the brunette laughed - the light, merry sound waffling across the street to Weiss’ ears.

Relaxing into a smile, Weiss watched the dog jump onto the girl’s stomach and sit down - claiming his victory with a small bark.

“Weiss!There you are…”

Quickly pulling her hand back to her side, Weiss turned around at the sound of her mother’s slightly annoyed voice - finding the woman striding purposefully through the greenhouse doors with the clerk in tow.

“They can fly in the _most_ exquisite roses from Atlas!” her mother said, clearly pleased by the prospect of ordering flowers from a far-off place.“Is there a particular color you’d like?”

“We can order white, yellow, pink -”

“Red,” Weiss answered before the attendant's list finished.Glancing across the road, she found the girl in red still lying on the ground, petting her dog.

Aware of who was in charge of the final decisions, the saleswoman looked to Weiss’ mother for approval.Only after receiving a small nod did the woman respond to Weiss’ choice.

“Excellent choice!That color will be wonderful for a winter wedding.”

Returning the woman's wide grin with a thin smile of her own, Weiss obediently followed the two women back into the stifling building, throwing one last look towards the park before the door closed behind her. 

With the color and flower decided upon, her mother wanted to talk quantities, prices, and delivery dates - areas where Weiss had absolutely no say at all.Not that she was very interested anyway...but standing at the counter listening to the conversation quickly grew boring as the stifling greenhouse air filled her lungs once more.

“It’s stuffy in here - may I take a short walk?” she asked, unwilling to spend more time in this sticky building than necessary.Plus, they didn’t need her presence anymore - not that they needed her presence, to begin with.Dragging her here served no purpose other than maintaining the appearance of including her in the decisions.

Fortunately, her mother waved her away, not pausing for a second to respond.Grateful for the reprieve, Weiss quickly left the women behind.

If she had to guess, her mother was probably glad to be rid of her for a little while.This planning process put even more strain on their already-strained relationship, forcing them to spend more time together than either of them likely wanted.Their differences, which had already been glaring, had only grown over the past few months.

It was difficult...for both of them.

Heading straight for the front exit, Weiss pushed open the door with a sigh of relief.Just a few minutes of peace - a few minutes to be free.No more this flower or this flower or this flower - just the cold air and her, nothing else.

That was wishful thinking, of course.The moment she stepped into the parking lot, their chauffeur for the day - an immaculately-dressed man wearing an expensive black suit - jumped out of the car and jogged around to get the door for her.

“Miss -” he said, gesturing her into the vehicle.

“We’re not leaving yet,” she said, waving off his efforts.“I’m just going for a walk.”

Relaxing his rigid posture, he let go of the door handle and nodded.

To her, it was a normal interaction.However, the two customers walking towards the nursery door stared - first at the giant black car taking up the majority of the parking lot, then at her.One of the young women, who must be only a handful of years older than Weiss, turned towards her companion and muttered some soft words.The second woman nodded, both of them continuing to stare while trying to figure out the owner of such excess.Was it an actress?Singer?Some other celebrity?

It was like they’d never seen a limousine before.

Avoiding their curious gazes, Weiss decided that she should go for a walk after all.And what better place to go for a walk than a park?

Focused on her destination, she crossed the street and entered the park beyond.She didn’t know why it bothered her.She didn’t care what they thought of her, and she didn’t care what they whispered about her behind their hands.

Maybe she cared that they were making assumptions about who she was as a person.They saw a hint of wealth and, somehow, they already _knew_ her.Much of Vale thought that having wealth automatically made her spoiled, stuck-up, self-righteous, unapproachable, cold, demanding...they thought she was her mother.

Of course, the other side of Vale - those with greater aspirations for themselves - viewed her as a gateway, a rung on the ladder, someone worth pretending to like.She couldn’t decide which she preferred more - being immediately written off, or being immediately used?

As soon as she stepped onto the concrete path breaking off from the sidewalk and heading deeper into the park, her eyes sought out the girl from earlier - the brunette and her dog. 

Neither were hard to find since they hadn’t moved and were still in the same spot by the metal park bench.The girl had her eyes closed now, enjoying the sunshine cutting through the cold while absentmindedly petting the dog curled up on her stomach.

Realizing that, if Weiss kept walking forward, the path would lead her right past the pair, her stomach inexplicably filled with butterflies.

She was nervous, which was foolish.What could she possibly have to be nervous about?She was just _walking_.This was a public park - anyone was free to walk where they wished.Plus, the girl was lying right beside the main trail, so it was only natural that Weiss would have to pass by in order to continue her stroll.

Yet, at the rate she was walking, she wouldn’t make it very far at all before she would have to turn around.For some reason, her feet refused to stride with purpose.Instead, she took hesitant steps that inched her towards the pair of park guests.

The dog noticed her approach first, opening his eyes and raising his head when she was just a few feet away.His small, bushy tail swung back and forth in greeting, his mouth opening and his tongue lolling out in a happy pant.His eyes watched her every step, almost begging her to acknowledge his presence.

Following the path should’ve taken her right past the pair, but instead her feet stopped - pausing her movement a short distance away while the dog continued to wag his tail at her.For a few seconds, she considered saying nothing and walking back to the nursery.What did she have to say, anyway?Why did she feel the need to say anything at all?

Maybe she just wanted the chance to say ‘hello’ to a girl who had no qualms tumbling over a park bench and then laughing at herself.Or maybe she really wanted to pet the dog, who was still watching her with an adorable, expectant expression.

“C-cute dog,” she said, immediately chiding herself for stuttering such a simple phrase.She was a Schnee.Schnees didn’t stutter - _especially_ not for random strangers lying on the ground.

But the girl’s eyes flew open at the words, revealing the prettiest silver eyes Weiss had ever seen.Picking the dog off her stomach and setting him carefully on the ground, the brunette popped to her feet with an easy smile - brushing some blades of grass and dirt from her back.

For several seconds, Weiss was transfixed by the stranger standing in front of her.In only a few seconds, she realized that she’d never seen a real smile before today, and she’d never seen such jaw-droppingly beautiful eyes before. 

After the shock of the blinding grin wore off, Weiss made several other important observations that were impossible to make from across the street.The brunette was actually several inches taller than her, with long, lithe limbs that rippled with concealed muscles and unreleased energy.

“Thank you!” the girl replied, her eyes happily meeting Weiss’ while that megawatt beam held its place. 

Feeling blood rush to her cheeks under the metallic gaze, Weiss turned her attention towards the dog instead. 

There was something overpowering about the energy stemming from the brunette...something that threatened to unravel all of the manners Weiss had learned over the course of her life - reducing her to a stuttering, rudely-staring plebeian.

“What’s his name?” she asked, taking a small step forward onto the grass to greet the little creature.

“Oh - sorry, this is Zwei!”

“Zwei…” Weiss repeated thoughtfully, crouching down and carefully extending one hand for the dog to sniff - which he did, before promptly licking her fingers.

She smiled when Zwei insisted she scratch his belly, flopping onto his back while his tail whipped across the grass with pleasure, his mouth hanging open with a long, red tongue lolling out to the side. 

She’d always liked dogs but had never been lucky enough to have one of her own.There’d been a time when she and her sister asked for one as a gift, but...it wasn’t meant to be at that time.After that, Weiss gave up asking.

“Zwei is a cute name,” she said, petting him for several more seconds before standing up and turning back to the girl - who still had that same giddy smile on her face, but seemed to have very few words to say.Instead, she appeared content to stare at Weiss with a smile.

“Um...are you alright?” Weiss finally asked, gesturing towards the bench while trying to start some semblance of a conversation.“I saw you fall earlier…”

The question snapped the brunette out of her intense analysis and unleashed a mighty storm of fidgety energy.

“Oh, that?”Waving a hand, she smiled.“I’m ok!And, uh, that was just practice.I could totally clear it now if I wanted.”

“Are you sure?” Weiss asked, wondering what the girl’s response to disbelief might be.

The response was another wide grin, this time with a hint of playfulness thrown in.

“Totally!I mean, I could try it again if you want…”

“No, no,” Weiss quickly replied, reaching out a hand when the girl turned towards the bench as if she might attempt the ill-fated hurdle again.“I believe you.”

But the girl probably never intended to actually try.Instead, she looked at Weiss and smiled, as if this conversation delighted her in some way.

‘Delightful’ might be one way to describe this conversation, along with curious, unusual, and oddly effortless.For whatever reason, Weiss found it easier to speak to this girl - this stranger - than anyone else she’d met in quite some time.It could be the aftereffects of watching the brunette tumble over the park bench, or it could be that ceaseless smile.

Whatever it was, it was...nice. 

“Do you come here often?” Weiss asked.

“Yup!I walk him every day - we live nearby!” the girl replied, gesturing her hand in one direction while running her other hand through her short brunette hair, allowing the strands to fall right back into place.At the same time, she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet in an apparently futile effort to dissolve more energy.

It was an entertaining display, to say the least.

“That sounds nice,” Weiss said, trying not to smile too much at the quirky girl.“He’s a lucky dog.”

“Tell him that,” the girl said with a grin before suddenly leaning close to Weiss, raising one hand to whisper loudly.“He’s kind of a spoiled brat...”

Zwei immediately barked in protest, drawing a laugh from the brunette while Weiss chuckled and took a step backward - their proximity quickly scrambling what nerves she had remaining. 

The girl smelled like flowers...

“I’m Ruby, by the way,” the brunette finally introduced herself, one hand shooting towards Weiss.

“Weiss,” she replied, politely shaking the girl’s hand with a smile.

“Weiss...Weiss…”Ruby’s expression was thoughtful as she tried out the feel of the name in her mouth.After nodding in approval, her lips curled into another delightful smile.“That’s a super cool name!”

“Oh...thank you.”

She’d been told many times before that her name was unique, pretty, or beautiful, but this was the first time she believed that the compliment was genuine.Ruby’s smile made it hard to believe she was anything but honest.

“So, Weiss, what are you doing here...Weiss?”

“Picking out some flowers across the street.”Smiling in amusement, Weiss gestured to the nursery behind her while silently wondering how much energy this single, slender person could contain.It wasn’t _too much_ energy - not like a hyperactive child who couldn’t control themselves - but there were endless waves of vitality rolling off of Ruby.They lifted Weiss up, in a way, as if those waves swept under her own feet and buoyed her up.

After glancing over Weiss’ shoulder at the greenhouse, Ruby’s brow creased ever so slightly.

“But if you’re shopping for flowers...what’re you doing over here?”

“Oh.I wanted to go for a short walk,” Weiss explained, smiling despite herself.“It’s pretty stuffy in there.”

“I’ll bet.”With another refreshing smile, Ruby leaned close - as if she wanted to share a secret.When her silver eyes flitted in both directions, Weiss believed that to be the case.Instead, Ruby said, “So...did you find any you like?”

How did Ruby make such a simple question so entertaining? 

“Some roses,” Weiss answered, watching Ruby’s eyes light up at the response.

“Oh yeah??You like roses, huh?”

Weiss tilted her head at the unexpected excitement that answer garnered.Was there something strange or weird about liking roses?She would expect that to be a popular flower choice, and entirely unworthy of such a response.

“Yes…” 

That answer somehow earned the most adorably pleased giggle Weiss had ever heard.

“I like roses, too,” Ruby replied, enthusiastically nodding her head before giggling again.She was so happy about something right now, her eyes sparkled with joy.

For her part, Weiss had no idea what about roses made the girl so happy.But she felt as if...maybe she’d played a role in Ruby’s current smile?

A strange feeling tugged at Weiss’ heart while Ruby smiled at her.This entire conversation was unexpected and not at all what she’d imagined, yet it was easily the highlight of her day, if not her week.

Whatever spell she was under broke when Ruby’s eyes slipped away - looking over Weiss’ shoulder before doing a double-take at whatever she found.

“Oh - uh, it looks like that lady’s trying to get your attention!”

Following Ruby’s gaze, Weiss turned and found her mother beckoning her back across the street.It must be time for them to leave.

“I should go…”

“Is that your mom?” Ruby asked before Weiss could leave.“Wow, you’re both _super_ pretty!”

Weiss flushed at the compliment, blood again rushing to her cheeks faster than ever before. 

What was Ruby thinking, throwing around compliments like that?Who complimented a stranger so often when there was nothing to be gained from it?

“Yes, that’s my mother...but I should get going.It was very nice to meet you, Ruby.You too, Zwei.”

After stooping down to give the dog one last pet, Weiss gave Ruby a small wave before quickly walking away, knowing that her mother’s impatience and irritability was growing by the second.

“Nice to meet you too, Weiss!” Ruby called out after her.“Maybe we’ll see you again sometime!”

Glancing over one shoulder, Weiss caught one last smile before hurrying across the street to rejoin her mother - who was waiting outside the sleek, black limousine. 

“Honestly, the places you slip off to,” the woman said as soon as Weiss was within earshot, spinning on her heel and walking towards the vehicle.Their chauffeur opened the passenger door and dutifully held it in place while Weiss’ mother slipped inside before nodding for Weiss to follow.

But, before ducking through the door, Weiss spared one last look at the park across the street - just in time to see Ruby and Zwei walk down one of the trails - the brunette still with a content smile upon her face.Satisfied with that last glimpse, Weiss slid onto the leather seat in the rear of the vehicle before the door clicked shut behind her.

“They’ll have samples in a few days,” her mother said as the vehicle’s engine roared to life.“Once we see those, we can place the order.”

“That sounds good…” she said softly, her eyes glued out the window as the limousine pulled out of the parking lot and left the nursery behind.

“Speak up, child,” her mother immediately retorted.“Mumbling is for the uneducated.”

Tearing her eyes away from the window, Weiss met her mother’s stern gaze and forced a small smile.

“That sounds wonderful,” she said, ensuring her words were crisp and clear.“I’m glad you were able to find what you wanted.”

Her mother huffed at the words while pulling out her phone.

“You speak as if it’s my wedding.” 

Pressing a button on the phone and bringing it up to her ear, her mother turned away from Weiss - a clear signal that their conversation was over.It was just as well...now Weiss’ thoughts could drift to far more pleasant topics on their way home.

Unsurprisingly, her thoughts went straight to her most recent acquaintance, who’d been a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stifling day.

Ruby’s appearance was anything but exceptional.She carried no designer bag, wore no expensive shoes - her entire outfit cost maybe fifty Lien, probably less.According to everything Weiss had ever learned from her parents, there was absolutely nothing extraordinary about the brunette.

But those silver eyes...that effortless smile…

Something about Ruby was far more than ordinary.


	3. Chapter 3

The door opened before they reached it, and their tall butler stood out of the way as Weiss and her mother strode through the open doorway.

“Welcome home,” the man greeted them, nodding stiffly before following Weiss’ mother inside.

“Dinner is in a half hour,” the woman directed to Weiss, dropping her jacket in the man’s hands and walking up the elegant double staircase leading to the second level of the house.“Don’t be late.”

“Yes, Mother.” 

Removing her jacket, Weiss smiled politely as she handed it to the butler, but he hardly spared her a glance while whisking the outerwear to the coat closet and hanging both garments inside.As soon as that was finished, he dusted off his hands and disappeared through the doorway leading to the kitchen.

Left alone in the giant entryway, she dropped her shoulders and sighed. 

Schnee Manor always bustled with activity - butlers fulfilling orders, maids ceaselessly cleaning, chauffeurs appearing when called, guests coming and going at their designated times - yet she felt perpetually alone.Surrounded by people, yet alone.It was an interesting phenomenon, really, and something that might warrant more thought if it didn’t revolve around her.

With only a short amount of time until dinner, she decided to make her way to the dining room early rather than risk being late.There was no easier way to earn her mother’s scorn than by being a single minute late, so Weiss made sure to arrive early instead.

Leaving the foyer behind, she cut through the kitchen to see what was on the menu tonight.The large room was filled with more appliances than she would ever know what to do with, but the two chefs working inside moved around the space with confidence - setting pans on the stove, mixing ingredients in bowls, chopping items on large wooden boards.

Only one of the chefs glanced at her when she walked in - the other continued his tasks as if she didn’t exist.

“What can I help you with, Miss?” the first chef asked, breaking eye contact as his attention dropped back to the bowl in his hands.

“I was wondering what’s for dinner,” she said.The air smelled heavily of some type of beef, but that was all she could pick out at the moment.

“We’re making a beef tenderloin with shallots and red-wine glaze, an endive salad, and lemon-and-thyme potato gratin.”Looking up, he gave her an expectant expression.“Sound ok to you, Miss?”

“Sounds wonderful.”

With that blessing, the man nodded and went back to work.Weiss watched for several more minutes as the two chefs operated in tandem, both somehow accomplishing their goals with minimal communication.

Once upon a time, she’d wanted to learn how to cook.She’d wanted to know what all the different appliances and tools were for, and how she could use them to create works of art that both looked and tasted magnificent. 

One of their previous chefs had taught her how to make lemons squares when she was hardly tall enough to reach the counter.She stood on top of three cookbooks in order to mix the filling in a giant, white bowl that was too big for her hands.The consistency had still been lumpy when she handed it over, but somehow the end result turned out sweet and smooth.

She’d been so proud of those lemon squares, she immediately ran to show her mother.And that was the last of her cooking lessons…

Leaving the chefs to their work, Weiss walked through the door that led into the dining room.

Dinners in their household were held in the dining room - an enormous space with high ceilings and a single long, rectangular table made of the most expensive mahogany that could be found.The edges were intricately carved by some master craftsman in a remote region of the world, and it was giant enough to accommodate twenty matching chairs set around its perimeter.Of course, there was usually only three seated there.

For a family that did little in terms of bonding, they managed to eat a large percentage of their dinners together - a near mandate if they were in the house at dinnertime.Very rarely was Weiss granted permission to eat dinner in her room - a luxury she saved for the times she was in dire need of a temporary separation.

After glancing at the clock at the other end of the room, Weiss pulled out her customary seat and sat down to wait in silence.It felt like her entire life was waiting...but she had no idea what for.She waited for the next order her mother might have for her; she waited for the next appointment that had been scheduled for her.Mostly, she waited for the day to end - only to fall asleep and repeat the waiting again.

Shouldn’t there be something more?

Hearing footsteps approach, Weiss refocused on the dining room and turned to spot her father walking towards his seat.Still dressed in a business suit, his gaze was fixed upon his phone as he sat down without looking up to greet her. 

The lack of greeting wasn’t unusual, but his timeliness was.He often arrived several minutes late, and Weiss was fairly certain he did this not because he was busy, but solely to antagonize his wife.Of course, he was allowed to do whatever he wished without fear of repercussion.His word was law in this household, and everyone knew it. 

Resigned to more waiting, Weiss straightened her posture and rested her hands in her lap in case he decided to address her.

He didn’t.Heels clicking across the floor announced her mother’s arrival a short while later, marking the beginning of dinner.

“Good evening, Fredrick,” the woman said while walking to her seat.

“Good evening, Olivia,” he replied without looking up from the phone.

Seeing as how the two kept completely separate schedules, those were probably the first words they’d spoken to each other today.Not that either seemed to particularly care about the silence.

When a butler appeared with their dinner, Weiss sat back in her seat and did her best to become invisible for the rest of the meal.With both of her parents in one room, she was liable to be scolded in a multitude of ways depending on their current moods.Fortunately, it looked like both were in decent spirits today.

“How was flower shopping?” he asked, setting down his phone in order to eat dinner.

“Wonderful.The flowers will be _stunning_ \- especially if we get fresh snow the night before.”

He grunted at the response and shook his head.

“Can’t control the weather.”

Weiss refrained from rolling her eyes at her father’s obvious statement, although he likely wouldn’t have noticed from his spot at the very end of the table.Her mother, on the other hand, would have undoubtedly seen and berated her for it.

“I know that,” her mother retorted, an edge in her voice at the perceived slight.“But it would be gorgeous if it snowed.Right, Weiss?”

Obediently raising her eyes at the direct question, Weiss forced a pleasant smile.

“Yes, it would be beautiful.”

Her mother hummed at the validation while going back to her meal, using her silverware with refinement gleamed through decades of meticulously-planned dinners. 

The customary silence descended upon the table once more, broken only by the occasional clink of silverware on china as they continued their meal.Weiss turned her attention back to her plate, which was still relatively filled with food - her appetite seeming to dwindle right along with the temperature outside.

She’d learned how to navigate these dinners and emerge relatively unscathed, but that didn’t mean she enjoyed them.The only thing worse than the attempts at lifeless conversation was the absence of any conversation at all - a silence brought upon by having nothing of interest to say to one another.

Years ago, her father spoke about business - until her mother complained about how useless that information was to a woman.Her mother talked about social events - until her father called the subject ‘worthless beyond any perceivable meaning.’

Recently, they found one subject to discuss over dinner - the wedding. 

Weiss was honestly surprised how much interest her mother had in planning the wedding.The woman approached it with enough energy that it would be easy to mistake it as her own - which was why it was unexpected that Weiss had been allowed to decide on what color the roses should be.

More realistically, her decision would have been vetoed if it wasn’t what her mother wanted.

It was for the best that her mother took charge of the planning, because Weiss certainly wasn’t interested.If it was up to her, she would be married on the courthouse steps with no gown, no flowers, no food, and no guests. 

Actually, if it was up to her, there would be no wedding at all.

Having her mother in charge worked out for the better.This way, everyone got what they wanted - everyone except Weiss, of course.

Spearing another tiny potato with her fork and placing it in her mouth, her attention was drawn away from her food when motion at one of the dining room entrances caught her eye.Turning her head a fraction of an inch to identify the intrusion, she caught sight of a pretty young woman rushing towards the table.A frown threatened to appear, but she kept her expression impassive while watching the new arrival approach her father’s side.

Jezebel.

The blonde woman was hardly a few years Weiss’ senior but had _somehow_ already risen to the high ranks within her family’s company - earning herself the _highly-coveted_ position as Fredrick Schnee’s personal assistant.

With the woman’s short business skirt revealing far too much tan, toned leg, and her light blue blouse leaving little to the imagination in terms of cleavage, Weiss could only imagine what Jezebel’s qualifications might be.It only took a short conversation with the blonde to reveal that intelligence and sharp wit were not among them.

Regardless, the young woman carried a stack of important-looking files in her arms as if she actually came to discuss business at this hour.Stopping by Weiss’ father’s side, she leaned close and whispered in his ear, her lips far too close to pretend it was a strictly professional relationship.When she leaned away with a smile, the man promptly removed the napkin from his lap and set it on the table as he stood up.

“Work calls.You know where to find me if needed.”

Weiss watched the pair walk out of the room, but her mother hummed obliviously from across the table- not bothering to look up from her plate as they left.Seeing her father press his hand to the small of Jezebel’s back to guide her through the door, Weiss’ blood boiled with indignance.

Yes, they knew where to find him, but they also knew not to disturb him while he was ‘working.’After all, he was a _very important_ man with _very important_ matters to attend to...at this hour, with a woman who probably hadn’t even graduated from high school.

Turning her gaze back to her plate, Weiss found that her appetite had vanished entirely - soiled with disgust over what she’d just witnessed.

Jezebel’s mother must be proud...her daughter sleeping with a married man.Not just any married man though - Fredrick Schnee, the wealthiest man in all of Vale, if not the entire world.

Maybe her mother _was_ proud, after all...

Stealing another glance across the table, Weiss found her mother calmly eating her dinner as if nothing had happened - her slender hands mechanically cutting food into bite-sized pieces before picking them up with a fork.

She was far too clever of a woman not to see what was happening under her own roof, but there was nothing she could do about it - her husband held all the power in their relationship.If he was caught cheating, he would merely buy her an extraordinarily expensive gift in apology.Which she would be forced to accept because...that’s just how things worked in these relationships of excess.

How depressing.

“May I be excused?” Weiss asked, knowing that any further attempts to eat would be futile at this point. 

Only after receiving a nod of approval did she stand up and no sooner had she set her napkin on the table did a waiter appear to remove her dishes.Leaving her mother alone at the table, Weiss made her way from the dining room to the foyer.

Her shoes clicked against the hard, marble floors as she walked, feeling the cold air drifting up from the unforgiving material.The flooring was a beautiful pearly white with swirls of light brown, but, in her opinion, the beauty was not worth the harshness she felt when walking upon it. 

They could afford the best money could buy.But when the best was uncomfortable, was it really worth it?

Passing several members of the staff on her way to the staircases, she received polite bows or curtsies.Merely dipping her head in acknowledgment, she continued past them without so much as a word in greeting.

She knew that they didn’t like her.They thought she was spoiled, heartless, and unforgiving - just like her mother.They thought she held disdain for them, looking down upon them from her ivory pedestal.They called her The Ice Princess behind her back - a fitting nickname to go along with The Ice Queen.In their eyes, she and her mother were two peas in a pod.Like mother, like daughter - the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

What they didn’t understand was that she wasn’t _allowed_ to be kind to them.She wasn’t allowed to be their friend, even though she’d once wanted to be.But that desire was stamped out of her when she was just a young girl. 

They used to take care of her, babysitting during the day when her mother was too busy.While she played or read, she heard talk that one of the housekeepers was having difficulty paying their bills.Something about how their son had just been diagnosed with an illness that required extensive medical attention. 

At the time, it seemed natural to help the woman.That’s what her family did, wasn’t it?They ‘gave’ large amounts of money to various charity organizations around Vale - she’d attended the events ever since she could remember.

Today, they thought she was cold and heartless.What they didn’t know was that back then, her mother caught her giving money to help someone in need.They didn’t know that her attempt at a kind gesture was reward with ire, and her mother slapped her so hard across the face she nearly blacked out.

To this day, she could remember the woman’s screams - “We do _not_ give money to the servants - that’s what their paychecks are for!Start giving them money, and soon they’ll think they own the place!”

Through her tears, Weiss had tried to explain that she was just trying to help, an explanation for which she received a vicious shake by her shoulders.

“They’re _beneath_ you.”

It was hard to understand at that age...she’d been so young and naive.She thought that she was being nice and helping someone in need.Her family seemed to have more than enough money - after all, her parents were always handing her money when they wanted to get her out of their hair.But, as she matured, she understood what her mother had been trying to say - or at least, what she _thought_ her mother had been trying to teach her.

Try as she might, Weiss couldn’t be friends with those less ‘fortunate’ than her.She couldn’t believe every sob story she heard, because everyone wanted to use her for something - her family’s money, her family’s name, her family’s power.Even the children of wealthy families - many of whom she’d been forced to spend time with – searched for a way to take advantage of her.

None of them understood that she held little control over any of those things.When they looked at her, all they saw was a Schnee - and being ‘friends’ with a Schnee would lead to great things.

The sob stories grew old, and the fake and phony friends quickly exhausted her.She found it was much more pleasant to be without any friends at all.People like her just weren’t meant to have real friends.

Sighing out loud, she ascended the left staircase and finally found a bit of relief in the plush white carpeting on the second level.How difficult it was to keep this carpet so brilliantly white, she couldn’t even fathom.

After turning to the left, she took the first hallway on her right towards her room.At the very end of the long hall were grand double doors that opened into a living space that probably dwarfed many individual homes.The door swung open easily; the hinges likely oiled every other day to ensure her happiness. 

On the ceiling hung a brilliant crystal chandelier custom made for her family.The four-post bed had been handcrafted in Vacuo, the armoire shipped from somewhere west of Atlas, the curtains covering four large windows handstitched here in Vale. Everything was colored in white or silver, with the furniture providing a stark mahogany contrast.

The bed was the most enticing piece of furniture at this moment, so she walked over, carefully removed her shoes, and laid down on top of the sheets - the magnificently lush comforter cushioning her like her own personal cloud.

Sometimes she wished she could stop thinking.She wished she could move through the days on autopilot, never thinking or feeling.

Instead, she laid on her bed and thought about how much she missed school.

She was likely alone in that thought.Most of her classmates couldn’t wait to leave school behind - they couldn’t wait to never open a textbook again.But for her, school offered an escape - somewhere she could learn about topics that had little to do with her life. 

Not only was school an escape, but it was something she was _good_ at.She knew this - without a shadow of a doubt - because she’d focused on subjects that couldn’t be faked in her favor.Math, science, classes where the answer was either right or wrong.There was no room for her last name to influence her grade.

She was successful in school because of herself - because she studied harder than her classmates, spent more time thinking about the subject material, and found practical uses for it as often as she could.Even so, when she graduated at the top of her class, everyone whispered. 

_Of course, she’s top of the class.Of course, she got perfect grades.Just look at her last name.Of course.Of course._

Her hard work meant nothing.Her effort meant nothing.Her name meant everything.

Now that school was over, she wondered why she even bothered trying so hard.She would use none of that knowledge in daily life.She wouldn’t need to know advanced mathematics - she needed to know how the world worked. 

And by that, she didn’t mean the greater world that they all shared - she meant the small bubble of Vale’s social elite.Learning to be a proper hostess was most important to her now.Maintaining poise, following social etiquette, creating useful connections - these responsibilities were more important than knowing statistics.

Why had she even gone to school at all?

That answer was simple.Why did she do anything?Because it was expected of her.Because her parents deemed it important.It didn't matter what she enjoyed or wanted to do.All that mattered was that she check all the boxes and become the most perfect heiress there had ever been.Adding a distinguished diploma was just another badge to add to her pedigree.

She supposed that she should be grateful they let her choose her electives while she was there…

Sighing again, her gaze drifted to the chandelier above her - studying the intricate silver metal woven into fantastic shapes and textures.The crystals hanging from it glinted in the light as they waved back and forth, pushed by an invisible wind in the still room.

The color brought Weiss’ thoughts back to the girl she had met that afternoon.Ruby...the girl who smelled like roses, who smiled effortlessly and radiated joy.The girl who seemed to genuinely _like_ Weiss, without even knowing who she was.

Talking to Ruby was like taking a breath of fresh air, filling Weiss’ lungs with something other than the staleness surrounding her.Their conversation hadn’t covered any important topics.There were no weighty discussions or subtle politics to consider.It had been...simple and easy.

That was it.Whether intentional or not, Ruby had treated Weiss like she was...normal.For a few minutes today, she wasn’t Weiss Schnee - she was just...a regular girl taking a walk through a park, stopping to chat with a friendly stranger. 

Maybe their paths would cross again.Maybe they would meet each other again.

The thought made Weiss feel rejuvenated and excited at the same time, but a small voice told her not to get her hopes up.Even though Ruby was friendly upon first meeting, a lot changed when money came into the picture.

As doubt crept back into her mind, Weiss stared at the silver chandelier and traced a path of metal as far as she could.

_What kind of person are you, Ruby?_ she wondered. _Are you the type that dreams of power...wealth...success?Or are your dreams filled with something else, entirely?_

She didn’t know the answer and, for the first time in years, she didn’t want to assume the worst.


	4. Chapter 4

The next few days passed as usual.Weiss woke up, accomplished whatever tasks her mother instructed her to do, spent her free time waiting for the day to end, then went to sleep.But something different had snuck into the midst of her routine.Now, every glimpse of silver reminder her of Ruby’s eyes, keeping the girl at the forefront of her mind wherever she went.

More than once, it occurred to her that she should go back to the park around the same time of day and see if Ruby was there.If fortune was on their side, maybe they’d bump into each other once more, and maybe they could continue their conversation from before.

However, Weiss didn’t have a legitimate reason for being in that area, so the idea was scared away every time.

‘What brings you back again?’ Ruby would likely ask.

‘Oh, I just stopped by to see if you were here...’

That was probably amongst the easiest ways to acquire a restraining order against herself.

She didn’t want to come off as crazy, so she’d been forced to sit and dream and imagine...wondering if their paths would indeed cross again.

By a sheer stroke of luck, the perfect excuse presented itself just a few days later - and it was her mother who delivered the good news, for a change.

“Weiss.”

Hearing her name, Weiss froze in the middle of the foyer on the way from the kitchen to her room.Her mother stepped out of the office and walked over, an annoyed expression on her face. 

“The nursery called and said they’ll receive the samples this afternoon by four.I already scheduled afternoon tea with Sarah -”

“I’ll go see them,” Weiss immediately offered - the abruptness of her agreement causing her mother to raise her eyebrows in surprise.But the woman thought nothing more of it.

“Yes, that’s what I was going to suggest.If they’re as beautiful as that woman claimed, place the order.”

Taken aback at the small ounce of decision-making power bestowed upon her, Weiss didn’t have time to respond before her mother continued.

“Try not to mess this up,” she added, destroying any goodwill from the prior comment in a single sentence.“And make sure to be home in time for dinner.”

“Of course.I’ll use my best judgment.” 

It might have been Weiss’ imagination that her mother rolled her eyes as she strode away.But the curt demeanor ceased to matter as soon as the woman disappeared from view.Hiding a small smile, Weiss nearly floated to her room in excitement.

She was excited for the opportunity to see the roses - spotting Ruby would only be an added bonus.Of course, Ruby might not go to the park every day, so that wasn’t something Weiss should count on.

But if it _did_ happen - if Ruby _was_ there - what should she wear?

Walking to the far right wall of her bedroom, Weiss threw open the doors to her closet.When she stepped inside the comfortable room, the lights flickered on and illuminated the rows upon rows of clothing and shoes stored inside.Ball gowns, cocktail attire, business attire, casual attire, any type of clothing a girl could ask for - with shoes and accessories to match.

Obviously, she couldn’t wear just anything.The outfit needed to be appropriately casual, yet fancy enough to make a good impression.It needed to look coordinated and thought out, yet effortless.She didn’t want to look like a slouch, but she also didn’t want to come off as unapproachable.

For the locale, jeans were the obvious answer - but dark, fashionable jeans that were fancier than traditional pairs.She paired them with a white v-neck blouse that wouldn’t even be visible beneath her jacket.She spent far too long picking out the blouse, but if there was _any_ chance she might remove her coat - say, in a hot, stuffy greenhouse - she had to make sure every element of her outfit fit together.

Her winter jacket was meant to be the star, however.The trusty coat was white, double-breasted with six big, black buttons running in pairs down the front.But the best part was how the jacket flared out at the bottom like a skirt - complete with a small layer of black tulle sticking out a few inches underneath.Its appearance was somewhere along the lines of a jacket combined with a mini-skirt.

Stylish, yet casual.

Once dressed and satisfied with her appearance, she made her way downstairs and summoned a driver to take her to the nursery.While waiting in the foyer for one to arrive, she paced the cold marble and thought through the afternoon to come. 

If Ruby wasn’t there today, all of Weiss’ effort would only serve to impress the nursery’s employees as she picked up the sample roses.Although, after the impression her mother made several days ago, Weiss doubted they needed a further reminder.It never hurt to drive home the massive divide in wealth - at least, that’s what her mother seemed to believe.

That path was simple.If Ruby wasn’t there, Weiss would pick up the flowers and head home for dinner.It was the other option that held infinitely more possibilities…

“Miss.”

Pulled from her thoughts, Weiss followed the chauffeur out the front door and to the limousine parked in front of the house.The vehicle was still running, puffs of exhaust visible in the cold air.Jogging past her, the driver opened the door only when she was near enough to enter the vehicle, preventing too much cold air from slipping inside with her.

The door closed behind her as she settled into a seat and prepared for the drive to the nursery, but as soon as the limousine pulled out of the driveway, she huffed when her pulse tried to creep upward. 

There was no reason to get her hopes up and _certainly_ no reason to be nervous.Ruby probably wouldn’t even be there.Just because she’d been there that one day - around the same time - didn’t automatically mean she’d be there again.Besides, Weiss wasn’t even going to the park.She was going to the nursery to pick up the roses. 

The park happened to be nearby, and if she happened to see Ruby, maybe they could say ‘hi.’

Giving up on trying to fool herself, Weiss stared out the window as the streets passed them by.Her neighborhood, if it could be called that, was comprised of sprawling mansions sitting on even more sprawling plots of land.As wealth dwindled, the homes grew closer together - the yards shrinking in turn.Soon, they left the most prosperous areas of Vale behind for the _real_ Vale. 

At least, that’s how Weiss felt about the somewhat crowded streets hemmed by buildings - commercial and residential alike.This was how a majority of the city lived - not in excess, but in moderation.Small apartments, small businesses.But, contrary to her father’s assertions, Weiss doubted these people had small minds.If anything, the wealthy families Weiss knew were amongst of the most small-minded people in existence. 

Spotting a familiar landmark up ahead, Weiss sat straighter in her seat as the vehicle pulled to a stop in front of the nursery.Her anticipation was building as the moment of truth rapidly approached, but she wouldn't immediately look at the park.No, she would control her excitement.First, she would pick up the flowers before the store closed.Then, she would see if Ruby happened to be around today.

When the passenger door opened, she stepped out into the cold and immediately looked towards the park - even though she’d just sworn that she wouldn’t.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), she didn’t recognize any familiar faces across the street.

“Thank you,” she directed towards the chauffeur holding the door for her.“Please wait here for me.”

Receiving his nod of understanding, she sent another glance towards the park before checking the time on her phone.And, in her haste, she’d left far too early for the appointed time.If the flowers were to arrive around four, she still had quite some time to wait.

But...arriving early actually worked in her favor.Now she could pass the time by waiting on the bench across the street.It would be dual-purposed - allowing her to wait for the flowers to arrive while also seeing if Ruby happened by. 

Looking both ways, she crossed the street and quickly found herself at the same bench Ruby had toppled over several days ago.Unsurprisingly, a metal bench was cold and uncomfortable to sit on, but it was better than standing around looking conspicuously out of place.

A pair of joggers ran past and, even though they sent hardly more than a glance her way, she felt as if they questioned her reason for being here.That was likely because _she_ questioned her reason for being here.

A few minutes and several walkers later, Weiss fidgeted in her seat and internally scolded herself for being such a fool.Why was it so important to see Ruby again?Sure, they’d shared a pleasant conversation.Sure, Ruby seemed like a delight to spend time with, but Weiss had no idea who Ruby really was.She didn’t even know Ruby’s last name!

All she knew was that Ruby lived nearby, had a ‘spoiled’ dog named Zwei, the most beautiful silver eyes, and a smile that could brighten anyone’s day.

All she knew was that she couldn’t stop thinking about Ruby.And she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to potentially meet again, even if that opportunity had turned out to be fruitless.

After several more minutes and no familiar faces, Weiss huffed out a breath of air and stood to leave the bench behind - determined to accomplish her task on time and head home.That’s when she heard a bark of recognition.

Spinning to the left, she froze when she saw them - tiny Zwei racing towards her with Ruby trailing behind.

“Weiss!” Ruby called out, a huge grin lighting her face while she waved one hand through the air.

It was difficult to explain how relieved Weiss was that Ruby said her name because, in her worst case scenarios, Ruby had already forgotten her name.

That hadn’t happened.Ruby remembered her - and looked happy to see her again, too.

Smiling, Weiss knelt down to greet Zwei - the happy, energetic puppy wiggling around in front of her.

“Fancy meeting you here!” Ruby said as she stopped directly in front of Weiss.“What brings you back to this neck of the woods?”

Giving Zwei one last pat on the head, Weiss stood and found herself once again flustered by silver eyes and a friendly smile. 

“I’m supposed to see some flowers today but arrived a little early,” she answered.“I figured I’d come over here while I waited.”

“Well, that worked out perfectly for me!” Ruby responded, letting out a little giggle along with her words.“Cuz I got to see you again!”

It was rude to stare - Weiss knew that - but it was difficult _not_ to stare when Ruby looked so adorably delighted to see her. _Her_.Ruby was happy to see _her_.And it wasn’t the fake happiness she usually received - it was genuine, honest-to-goodness happiness.Either that or Ruby was a terrific actress, but...for some reason, Weiss doubted that was the case.

“So...what have you been up to recently?” Weiss finally asked, snapping out of her state of gawking at the poor girl.

“Just classes and stuff,” Ruby responded with a wave of her hand.“Nothing exciting.”

“You’re still in school?”

“Yup!This is my last year though.”

Weiss nodded at the answer while running the quick calculation in her head.That made Ruby two years younger, provided she hadn’t skipped a grade or...been held back one. 

“Vale U.?” Weiss asked.Her questions felt prying, but Ruby didn’t seem to mind.If anything, she was thrilled with the continued conversation - which only made Weiss want to ask more questions.

“You know it!You seem to be pretty good at guessing, Weiss.”

When Ruby grinned, Weiss blushed and quickly averted her gaze.Fortunately, her somewhat desperate attempts to gather information were seen as guesses and not analysis.

“What about you?” Ruby asked, directing the same question back to Weiss.“In school?” 

“I finished school a couple years ago.Now I’m just...learning my family’s business.”

The answer wasn’t technically a lie.She _was_ learning her family’s business, if becoming the proper socialite counted as a business.

“Oh really?” Ruby asked.“What kind of business is it?”

Weiss opened her mouth to give a complicated, jumbled answer, but Zwei saved the day by running over and sitting down right in between them.Head tilted upward, he gave a small bark as his eyes begged for their walk to continue.

“Looks like someone’s antsy,” Weiss said instead, smiling down at the demanding dog.

“What else is new,” Ruby said, shaking her head at Zwei before turning her silver gaze back to Weiss.“Do you want to come on a walk with us?”

“Yes.”

The answer left Weiss’ mouth in such a hurry anyone could see her eagerness.But Ruby only laughed at the quick response, turning to enter the park, but pausing when a thought occurred to her.

“Oh, uh...but weren’t you supposed to see those flowers?”

“Right,” Weiss said, her happiness deflating as she turned back to the nursery.“I do need to get those…”

Biting her lip, she thought how unfortunate the circumstances where.The store would be closing soon, but Ruby was here now.So...

“Would you like to come see them with me?”

As soon as Weiss made the offer, she realized how much of a reach it was.There was no way Ruby would want to look at some silly -

“Sure!That sounds like fun.”

“Really?”

Giggling at Weiss’ surprise, Ruby shrugged and nodded at the time time. 

“Yeah!Why not?I’ve never been in there but always wanted to see what it’s like inside.”

Ruby’s acceptance of the idea was surprising, but pleasantly so. 

“Well, as a warning, it’s hot,” Weiss replied with a smile as she directed them across the street.As soon as they stepped into the parking lot, her chauffeur stepped out of the limousine as if he was needed, but she quickly waved him away.

“Woah, looks like someone fancy’s getting flowers,” Ruby commented, taking a long look at the vehicle before clipping Zwei up to the leash she’d been holding and tying the rope around a small bike pole to keep him in place. 

“You guard the door,” she directed him before opening the front door and waving Weiss through first - which she did with a soft “thank you” muttered for Ruby’s polite gesture.

The hot, muggy air enveloped them the moment the door swung shut - leaving them in the artificially warm greenhouse.Even with the weather changing outside, this space stayed eternally the same - from the temperature, to the humidity, to the rows and rows of vibrant flowers.

“Blegh, you weren’t kidding.”Playfully fanning her face, Ruby turned to Weiss with a smile.“This must be what a sauna feels like!”

“Hopefully this won’t take long,” Weiss replied.Glancing around the sparsely populated store, she quickly located the clerk from the other day, who immediately recognized her and rushed over.

“It’s so nice to see you again, Miss -”

“I was told the flowers came in today,” Weiss cut in, interrupting the woman’s formal greeting in order to prevent her last name from appearing.“ May we see them?” 

“Of course!We just got them - wait right here and I’ll get them for you.”

“Thank you.”

The woman rushed towards the very back of the store, leaving the two of them standing alone by one of the checkout counters.

“These are the roses, right?What color did you get?” Ruby asked, her silver eyes looking in all directions as she took in the sights from inside the greenhouse.

“You’ll seeee,” Weiss responded, immediately shocked by the teasing tone in her voice. 

However, Ruby just laughed. 

“Unless they’re see-through!” she answered with a grin.“Then I _won’t_ see.”

For a second, Weiss couldn’t even comprehend that it was a joke.But when she finally got it, she chuckled, and Ruby beamed with happiness.

“Unfortunately, see-through wasn’t an option,” Weiss replied.“But I think you’ll like them regardless.”

“Are they white like your hair?Cuz then I probably will!”

The uninhibited compliment heated Weiss’ cheeks as she temporarily turned away and, thankfully, spotted the store clerk returning with a flat, white box in her arms.

“They’re perfect,” the woman said while prying the cover off the box and setting it aside.“I’ve never seen them this red before.”

Weiss peered into the box at the same time Ruby did - both of them drawing in a breath in amazement.

The clerk wasn’t exaggerating about the color.

Inside the box lay the most magnificent long stem roses Weiss had ever laid eyes upon.Their shape was perfect, with so many petals the flower seemed almost unreal.And their color was a deep, deep red that put all other shades of red to shame.

“Wowwww...those are beautiful!” 

Ruby’s comment made Weiss a lot happier than she would have expected.

“They are very pretty,” she agreed with a nod.“May we take these with us?”

Thrilled at the response, the clerk nodded with a huge smile.

“Of course!Does that mean these are the ones for the big day?”

Having forgotten what the roses were for, Weiss remembered her big decision with a cold jolt of realization.Taking another look into the box, she searched for any potential flaw her mother might find, but...the roses were truly breathtaking - breathtaking enough that Weiss was willing to risk a scolding for them.

To add to her certainty, she turned to the side and found Ruby still staring into the box.

“Think my mother will like them?” Weiss asked, drawing a silver gaze her way.Ruby broke into another smile at the question, emphatically nodding at the same time.

“She’d be crazy not to!”

Satisfied with the endorsement, Weiss turned back to the woman standing behind the counter.

“Yes,” Weiss replied with a nod.“Please place the full order as my mother instructed.”

“Wonderful!”

The woman’s smile was bright and happy, but Weiss couldn’t come close to matching the enthusiasm.But, at least the flowers at the wedding would be remarkable...and Ruby really liked them.

“Actually…” Weiss spoke up before the clerk put the lid back on the box.“Can you divide them in half and put them in two boxes?”

Nodding, the woman searched underneath the counter for another empty box.While she did that, Weiss turned her attention to Ruby.

“Well, they aren’t see through, but I hope that’s alright?”

“Are you kidding me?” Ruby asked.“Those are so pretty, I could go blind looking at them.”

Again, the unorthodox response succeeded in pulling a smile from Weiss.Ruby seemed to say the first thing that sprang into her mind, a habit which Weiss enjoyed for the amusing comments it created.With every subsequent oddball statement, she was more and more assured that this was the _real_ Ruby - as wacky and weird as she might be. 

“Anything else, Miss Schnee?” the clerk suddenly said, tying each box of roses shut with a long piece of blue ribbon.

“No, that’ll be all.Thank you so much for your help.”

Collecting the two packages, Weiss turned and motioned for Ruby to follow her back to the front of the store.She’d taken only a few steps before Ruby jogged forward to hold the door for her once again.

“Did she say ‘Schnee?’” Ruby asked as the two of them stepped back outside.“As in...the richest family in the world Schnee?”

Weiss flinched at the description, even though it was apt for her family.She’d missed the saleswoman calling her by her last name, having been too distracted by the realization that Ruby was being herself. 

Standing to the side of the doorway while Ruby untied Zwei’s leash, Weiss nodded. 

“Yes, that’s what she said…”

“Are you related to them?”

Blinking, Weiss was temporarily confused by the question - having never been asked that before.Usually when people heard ‘Schnee,’ they automatically assumed she was related - not the other way around.

Just like they automatically thought she was spoiled and conceited...

“My father runs the company,” Weiss explained, foregoing the attractive scenario where she lied and Ruby stayed in the dark about her true identity.But it just felt wrong to lie to Ruby - who was kind and innocent unlike anyone Weiss had ever met before.And with Ruby being blatantly open with who she was...wasn’t it only fair for Weiss to offer the same courtesy?

“Woahhh,” Ruby replied, her eyes widening in surprise.“I would _not_ have guessed that.”

“Really?” Weiss asked.

Was Ruby saying she seemed unsophisticated?Unrefined? 

“I guess I just expected you to be wearing clothes made of gold or something.And not be so...cool.”

The answer was so honest it instantly made Weiss blush.Did Ruby really think she was cool?If so, that might be the first time that term was ever applied to her.

“Clothes made of gold?” she repeated with an amused chuckle - the sound vaguely unfamiliar to her ears.“I only wear those at home.”

Silver eyes stared in rapt amazement before Ruby finally caught onto the joke and burst into laughter.The merry sound was too infectious to resist, and Weiss lightly joined in.

She’d just made a joke - about herself, no less - and Ruby thought it was funny.

“Now you know my last name,” Weiss began, sensing an opportunity to glean more information about her new acquaintance.“Would it be fair for me to ask yours?”

“Rose!” Ruby replied with a grin, pointing towards the boxes still held in Weiss’ arms.Unsure what Ruby was alluding to, Weiss glanced at the boxes before meeting Ruby’s eyes once more.

“Um…”

“Ruby Rose,” Ruby clarified with a giggle at Weiss’ mystification.

“Oh.That’s a beautiful name,” she replied, hearing the words ‘for a beautiful girl’ echo in her head - words that would be left unspoken.

“It gets the job done.”When Ruby faked a serious expression with the reply, Weiss laughed again.The moment she did so, Ruby broke into a big grin - as if making Weiss laugh made her incredibly happy, as well.

“So, Weiss,” Ruby said, her continued insistence upon using Weiss’ name sending several butterflies fluttering through her chest.“Wanna come for a walk with Zwei and me now that you have your roses?”

The offer was accompanied by a hopeful smile, and Weiss really wished she could accept.

“Actually...I should probably head home,” she said, feeling her regret double when Ruby looked slightly disappointed by the answer.“It’s almost dinnertime...and I don’t want to be late.”

Fortunately, Ruby quickly lost her disappointment and smiled instead.

“What about tomorrow?”

If anyone else was so persistent, Weiss might find it annoying.With Ruby, she was thrilled.

“Absolutely,” Weiss replied - the answer only widening Ruby’s smile.

“Yeah?Then I’ll meet you here at the same time?” Ruby asked while slowly backing away with Zwei in tow.

After nodding, Weiss remembered the boxes in her hands.

“Oh wait!” she said before Ruby turned to leave.“Do you want to take some of these home with you?My mother will only want to see a few of them, so...I thought you’d like to keep the others.”

Weiss’ cheeks flushed as Ruby walked back to her and lifted one of the boxes out of her arms.

“You know, no one’s ever given me roses before,” Ruby commented while giving Weiss a quirky grin.“Thank you, Weiss!”

As her flush approached a shade of red close to the roses themselves, Weiss averted her gaze from those expressive silver eyes - the ones shining at her in unconcealed happiness for her menial gesture.

“It’s really nothing…” she said softly, silently scolding herself for the mumble before raising her voice.“But, maybe don’t stare at them for too long?”

It was either her question or her embarrassment that drew another giggle from Ruby.

“No promises!But, blind or not, I’ll see you tomorrow!”

With a smile and wave goodbye, Ruby raced across the street with Zwei in tow.After staring after them for a few moments longer than what was socially acceptable, Weiss walked back to the limousine, and the driver jumped out to greet her.

“Ready to go home, Miss?” he asked while pulling open the door to let her inside.

“Yes.Thank you.” 

Only after sliding into the vehicle did she realize that her heart was hammering in her chest.Setting the second box of roses on the seat beside her, she confronted the rampant thoughts and emotions swirling through her head.

Had Ruby really never received roses before?She seemed deserving of thoughtful gestures like that - and clearly appreciated them.And, was it just Weiss’ wishful thinking, or had Ruby not cared about Weiss’ family?

It was nearly a non-event - a revelation easily digested with a joke and a laugh.Maybe Ruby was really good at pretending, but Weiss seriously doubted that.Ruby was far too free with her thoughts and emotions to hide ill motives amongst the random comments. 

Weiss’ mind refused to leave Ruby and the park behind for the entirety of the drive home.It was only when the limousine coasted up the circular, stone driveway to the front of her family’s mansion that she pulled herself from her thoughts and collected the box of roses once more.When the door was opened for her, she stepped out and smiled at the chauffeur before heading inside. 

The front door opened as she approached, letting her into the foyer as the butler stood out of her way.

“Good evening, Miss,” he greeted her, although she was positive he wouldn’t say a word if he wasn't forced to.

“Good evening,” she answered anyway.“Please take these to my mother.” 

Depositing the box into his arms, Weiss nearly let go before pausing and motioning for him to wait.Untying the ribbon, she opened the box and removed one of the roses for herself before motioning him away.

He headed towards the study to find her mother, and she carried the rose up to her room.She needed to change before dinner, because there was no way she could show up in such casual attire and escape a scolding.

After walking into her room, she picked up the empty vase on her desk and carried it into the attached bathroom.She filled the vase with water before putting the rose inside and taking it back to her desk.It had been a long time since she had a flower on her desk, but this one was too magnificent not to keep around as long as possible.

She straightened the vase, then stood back and stared.The color and now the very flower reminded her of a certain young girl she’d just met...who was the leading force behind the best afternoon Weiss had had in a very long time. 

Ruby Rose...who was as beautiful and alive as this flower...with a smile and laugh that made Weiss feel wonderfully light and free.They’d only seen each other twice, yet Weiss couldn’t seem to get Ruby out of her thoughts. 

Noticing the time, Weiss finally left the rose behind to quickly change and rush downstairs for dinner.But as she hurried into the dining room and prepared herself to endure another meal of tense silence or firm scoldings, she couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit excited.

For the first time in as long as she could remember, she couldn't wait for tomorrow to come.


	5. Chapter 5

The night hadn’t gone exactly as planned.She’d made it to bed at her usual time, but quickly found that she was so excited about her meeting with Ruby that she couldn’t fall asleep right away.Instead, she laid in bed, tossing and turning while her thoughts were consumed by Ruby, Zwei, and their upcoming walk together.

She told herself over and over again that it wasn’t a big deal.It was just a short walk.Nothing was expected of her other than some conversation, which was surprisingly easy to offer when Ruby was around.

But, try as she might to calm herself down, her heart refused to cease racing - and her mind refused to stop dashing from one thought to the next. 

After spending far too long on her useless endeavor, she’d given up on the idea of sleeping and opted to clean her room instead.Unfortunately, seeing as how her room was already immaculately kept, the task occupied little more than a few minutes of her time.

In a continued effort to exhaust her mind, she’d gone to her desk and turned on the computer to read through emails and browse recent news.

Her emails had contained nothing of interest, as usual, filled with nothing but a few purchase confirmations for clothing and a couple of event reminders from her mother and Jezebel.With emails out of the way, she’d browsed the world news for a few moments, but quickly found the articles too depressing for her taste.

It was at that time when - against her better judgment - she’d typed the name ‘Ruby Rose’ into the search engine.

At the time, she told herself that she only wanted to see what topics came up - nothing more than a quick search to make sure Ruby wasn’t wanted for any outstanding crimes or something.It was a smart idea to do a _little_ due diligence, after all...especially for someone in Weiss’ position.There were a lot of people who’d love the opportunity to scam a Schnee out of a good amount of money.

Not that Weiss believed Ruby was doing that, but it certainly made any post-midnight research seem more reasonable.

Much to Weiss’ surprise, the search had returned several pages of results.

Apparently, Ruby was something of a track star at Vale University.

After learning that, Weiss soon found herself lost in articles.First, she read results from the last several tracks meets, before finding a few pieces that mentioned Ruby in conversations for ‘Track Athlete of the Year’ or other similar awards.

Even better than the articles with only positive things to say, Weiss found pictures going all the way back to high school.Most of the photographs were taken while Ruby was running - the still frames freezing her in what looked like perfect form, with her short brunette hair blowing wildly while the muscles in her legs flexed in effort. 

With further digging, Weiss also found some team photos and a few video clips.

But the more results she read and the more videos she watched, the more she realized she knew next to nothing about track as a sport.So, even though it had been the wee hours of the morning, she spent nearly an hour learning anything and everything she could about track and field - focusing her attention on the three events Ruby ran.

All of that newfound knowledge _should_ have been enough for her, but somehow she’d ended up on Ruby’s Valebook page…

The fact that she couldn’t even remember her password should’ve been a sign to cease her quest.Instead, she’d impatiently reset it in order to pull up Ruby’s page.

Unfortunately, most of the information was blocked to people who weren’t official ‘friends’ with Ruby, but Weiss had been able to see the profile picture...the image still burned into her thoughts the morning after.

Ruby’s profile picture was of an attractive blonde girl kissing her forcibly on the cheek while she tried to squirm away - both of them with smiles on their faces.

Thinking about it now, Weiss still felt a small amount of jealousy eating away at her.

In the short conversations they’d had, Ruby never mentioned anything about seeing anyone...but it made sense that she was already taken.It seemed highly improbable that someone so sweet, light-hearted, and pretty would be without a significant other.The more Weiss thought about it, the more she realized that she should’ve known this from the very start - so why did it feel like a surprise?

Not that it mattered.Even if Ruby was seeing someone, they could still be friends - which was all Weiss was looking for anyway.This overabundance of feelings was merely due to Weiss’ inexperience making friends, not anything more.She’d only ever interacted with the children of her parents’ acquaintances before - wealthy boys and girls who came with their own set of...expectations.The idea of making a friend on her own, without her parents making the introduction, was the only reason why this newly formed relationship felt so tremendously important.

That’s why she was looking forward to this afternoon - so much so that the beginning of the day dragged by.But nothing could put a dent in her mood today.Not even her mother’s offhand criticism of her outfit being ‘something the common people would wear’ could bring her down.

The closer the agreed upon time became, the more Weiss’ excitement was replaced by nervousness.She was so concerned about being on time that she made a call to one of the chauffeurs beforehand and ordered him not to leave the house - there was no way she was going to risk making a poor impression for something as silly as being late.

With nearly an hour to go, she paced the entire length of the house - through the dining room, the kitchen, the living room, the library, the sitting room, the music room, the meeting room, the study, the banquet hall, the billiard room...and back again.It was on her second lap that she ran into her mother outside the study - the woman wearing a frown that gave away her general mood.

“What are you doing?” she snapped.

“I was...just walking.”

“Walking with no purpose is pointless,” the woman scolded her, turning to walk away.“Find a purpose or sit down.”

The small voice in the back of Weiss’ mind wanted to point out that her mother paced all the time, but she knew better than to say that.Instead, she walked to the foyer and waited on the settee until it was a more appropriate time to leave.When she could wait no longer, she summoned the driver she’d made wait for her.

“Where to, Miss?” he asked, hardly getting the door open for her in time. 

“Billings Park.”

Despite her best efforts, her anticipation had gotten the best of her, and she arrived too early.Not discouraged, she left the limousine and walked to the bench that had become their special meeting spot.And, once again, she found herself sitting on the uncomfortable bench waiting for Ruby to arrive.

Methodically weaving her fingers together, then untangling them and starting over again, Weiss spared a moment to be thankful the weather had decided to play nice for another few days.

It was chilly outside, but the air had yet to take on the painful nip that typified Vale winters, meaning it was nice enough to be without gloves or a scarf.And, although most of the trees in the park had already shed their leaves, there remained several late bloomers whose foliage was just beginning to fall. 

It was one of those rare days that was both winter and fall at the same moment in time - neither conceding to the other.

“Weiss!”

The sound of her name snapped her attention in the direction Ruby was approaching from - the brunette wearing a big smile and giving a friendly wave.A smile crept onto Weiss’ lips as Ruby walked over, but it was Zwei who arrived far before Ruby did.

“Hey Zwei,” Weiss said, reaching down to greet Zwei with several ear scratches before standing up and turning her full attention to Ruby.

As much as Weiss’ mother would disagree, Ruby made ‘common’ clothes look good.Her slightly over worn jeans, zippered hoodie (only half zipped), and red sneakers - faded from use - suited her laid-back personality while accentuating her beauty.

Weiss was actually a little envious of how comfortable Ruby was in every respect - from her clothing to her personality.Ruby knew who she was and was ok with that, which was much more than Weiss could say about herself.

“Hey Weiss!” Ruby greeted her again when finally stopping near the bench.“I totally looked at those roses for a long time and didn’t go blind!”

In that one sentence, Ruby erased all of the anxiety from Weiss’ day.

“That’s a relief.Your eyes must be stronger than you thought.”

When Ruby giggled at the response, Weiss smiled - and this first big smile of the day made her feel incredibly happy.

“How was your day?” Ruby asked.

“It was pretty much the same as always,” Weiss replied, leaving out the extreme anticipation to see Ruby again.

“Well, ‘the same’ is better than ‘bad’!” Ruby said before motioning down the path.“Ready?”

With a nod, Weiss fell into place beside Ruby.The two of them walked shoulder-to-shoulder while Zwei swerved back and forth in front of them, his nose to the ground while running from plant-to-plant capturing as many scents as possible. 

Since she’d never been on this particular trail before, she trusted in Ruby to guide them. 

The thought briefly flitted through her mind that she should be more nervous following a stranger into an empty park with no idea how to get out, but it immediately vanished when Ruby called Zwei closer to them with a short whistle.

“How was your day?” Weiss asked, pushing away the unfounded worries that were trying to ruin her afternoon.

“Pretty boring - classes, practice, the usual,” Ruby replied, her eyes trained upon her dog while he sniffed at another dog passing them by.

“Practice?What are you practicing for?”

“Oh - I’m on the track and field team!Sorry, did I forget to mention that?”Ruby gave Weiss a look of genuine apology for not revealing that information sooner.

“You don’t need to apologize.We did just meet, after all,” Weiss replied, even though it didn’t _feel_ like they’d just met considering how comfortable it was to spend time together.“Do you enjoy it though - running?”

“It’s fun!Plus, it helps release some energy.”

Weiss could see how that would be useful - Ruby was practically doing jumping jacks while walking, hopping up and down as if she might take off in a sprint at any second.

“What events do you run?”

Even though Weiss already knew the answer, the question seemed like the next logical step in the conversation.And she _wanted_ to hear Ruby talk about her sport - without giving away the fact that she’d spent last night and early this morning scouring the internet for information.

“I run the 400, 800, mile...but anything really.As long as I can run around the track, I’ll do it.”

“Are you any good?”

The question came out more pretentious than Weiss intended, but she wanted to give Ruby the opportunity to boast. 

“I’m decent.It’s not about winning or losing though; it’s about having fun!” 

When Ruby turned and gave Weiss a big, unwavering smile, her feet immediately came to a stop.Ruby took several more steps before realizing that Weiss was no longer beside her and turned back with a confused expression on her face.

“Uh...Weiss?”

The answer was baffling.

Ruby had been the best runner in the city for all three of her events last year, _and_ she’d consistently ranked in the top three at track meets since the beginning of college.From what Weiss read, Ruby was a force to compete with and a threat to win every time she stepped onto a track.

But why didn’t Ruby say that?Wouldn’t a normal person brag about such tremendous accomplishments?

Noticing that Ruby was growing concerned at the expanding silence, Weiss shook her head and smiled - spurring her feet to motion so they could continue their walk.

“What made you interested in running?” she asked as Ruby fell back into step beside her.

They were venturing into uncharted territory - into questions where Weiss didn’t already know the answers so didn’t know what to expect.Of course, it didn’t seem that she knew what to expect from Ruby even when she _did_ know the answers...

“My sister got me into it when I was little - she used it as a way to tire me out after school.”

“Sister?” Weiss asked - the prospect of another Ruby Rose running around the streets of Vale making her feel light inside.

“Yeah!Her name’s Yang.”

“Older or younger?”

“Two years older - I guess that’d make her around the same age as you, right?” 

Ruby chuckled at the coincidence, but Weiss suddenly had a funny suspicion - or maybe it was just a wild hope...

“So, can I guess that silver eyes run in the family?” she asked, and Ruby immediately laughed at the question.

“No, we look nothing alike.She has lavender eyes and crazy blonde hair.”

“Ohhh…” 

A smile appeared on Weiss’ lips as the mysterious blonde’s identity was solved.It wasn’t Ruby’s girlfriend in the picture; it was her sister!But why was she so incredibly relieved by this discovery...

“Yeah, she’d bribe me with a cookie if I’d run around the block,” Ruby continued, oblivious to Weiss’ relief.“Then it was a cookie for two blocks - before I knew it, running was just something I did.I wasn’t very good until I grew at the end of high school.Yang said I looked like a little shrimp out there with the other kids.But, no matter how well I did, the cookie reward always stayed the same.Even now, my coach keeps a box in his bag for me!”

“That seems...a little unhealthy…” Weiss commented, amused by the unconventional incentive that was apparently incredibly effective.

Looking at her feet in an uncharacteristically downbeat display, Ruby tucked her hands in the front pockets of her jeans and shrugged her shoulders.

“After my mom died, it was just the two of us at home most of the time.Yang did whatever she could to keep me happy and entertained.”

“Oh...I’m sorry…”

Now Weiss felt horrible for bringing up the subject - having unintentionally learned something she’d never expected to uncover, a scar hidden to those who didn’t know Ruby personally.Sympathy swelled within her heart for Ruby - who, thankfully, wasn’t terribly disheartened by the somber information just provided.

“Well…” Weiss began, searching for another question to drag them away from that topic.“Do you two get along well?”

“Yeah!” Ruby exclaimed, her eyes regaining their sparkle in a heartbeat.“We get along suuuuper well!I actually live with her and her girlfriend right now.”

“How’s that arrangement working?” Weiss asked, her eyes following Zwei as he disappeared behind a group of prickly bushes off the path, then reappeared seconds later.

She was asking a lot of personal questions - which wasn’t the most proper way to hold a conversation - but she’d never been this interested in another person before.Thankfully, Ruby seemed more than happy to answer.

“It’s better than you might expect.They have a little two bedroom apartment and let me stay in the second room for free - it saves money since I don’t have to live in the dorms, but when I graduate I’ll get a job and my own place.”

“That sounds like a good plan.”

“I think so,” Ruby replied, clearly encouraged by Weiss’ endorsement of her goals.“Plus, my friends have told me some stories from the dorms - I think I’d much rather be where I’m at than go through _any_ of that.”

The thought of what kind of stories Ruby could be referring to made Weiss shudder - drawing silver eyes her way.

“You didn’t go to Vale U., did you?”

“No,” she answered with a shake of her head.“I went to Vale Academy.”

“Ah...where all the smart kids go!”

It might be a small thing...but Weiss appreciated that Ruby hadn’t said ‘where all the rich kids go.’

“That means you’re like...a genius, right?” Ruby continued, looking back to Weiss with a grin.

“W-well I wouldn’t say ‘genius’…”

“I know you’re _way_ smarter than me, but that’s not saying much!” Ruby replied, her eyes twinkling at the self-deprecating humor.It was so easy for Weiss to get lost in those eyes...which looked like seas of molten metal promising better days and more laughter to come…

Hearing a small bark, Ruby turned away - the sudden loss of silver pinching at Weiss’ chest.Moving her attention towards the sound, she found Zwei waiting patiently for them up ahead, sitting down in the middle of the sidewalk. 

Only then did she realize that she and Ruby had both stopped walking - standing a mere foot from one another while staring into each other’s eyes with smiles on their faces.They’d probably looked pretty silly to an outside observer…

“Oh, here’s my favorite part of the park - come on, this way!” Ruby said, following tiny Zwei as he led them off the paved sidewalk.

Visible in the grass was a beaten path weaving through a cluster of trees, formed by more than one person deciding to take this route.It looked like a nature walk through a forest, but after they followed it for only a minute, the woods suddenly opened up into a larger green space ringed by trees.

A fountain standing in the center of the clearing immediately drew Weiss’ eyes.The pool of the fountain was maybe fifteen to twenty feet across, with a base made of some type of white stone or cement.The color contrasted nicely with the beautiful bronze statue at its center.

There were two tiers to the statue.An angel was frozen mid-step upon the upper pedestal, extending one hand as if beckoning for them to come with her.Water ran under her feet, falling to the second level like drops of rain.Underneath the base at the angel’s feet where several cherub figures clutching to the very center of the statue where they were sheltered from the ‘rain.’

Beneath the cherubs, a basin collected the rain and returned it to the fountain pool through steady of water emitting from the corners of its octagonal shape.

“Wow, what a pretty fountain…” Weiss commented as they walked over to stand by its side, the soothing sound of cascading water filling her ears.

“Isn’t it?Most people don’t know it’s back here since there’s no sidewalk.”

This area did seem less frequented - the air filled with a stillness that focused even more attention upon the raining drops of water in front of them.Overall, the clearing was tranquil and serene...and a place Weiss would gladly revisit when in need of peace.

“Hey,” Ruby suddenly whispered, glancing around as if about to tell Weiss a big secret.“You wanna see something funny?”

“Sure…?” she answered hesitantly, looking around as well but finding that they were still alone in the clearing.

When Ruby grinned and let out a short whistle, her faithful companion reappeared by her side immediately. 

“Zwei, up!” Ruby said, pointing to the base of the fountain.The little dog jumped onto the foot wide edge of the pool on command, then sat down facing them.

“Readyyy…”

At the word, Zwei stood and turned towards the water, his nose pointed towards the fountain while his tail wagged swiftly back and forth.

“Setttt…”

His tail stilled - his entire little body stiffening in anticipation.

“Go!”

On cue, Zwei launched himself out over the water - flying a couple of feet through the air before hitting the water belly first, causing a little splash.Even though the fountain was only about a foot and a half deep, his head sunk all the way beneath the surface of the water before popping back up.Yipping happily, he started paddling around his own personal pool - swimming over to the statue to bite at the streams of water dropping down on top of him.

Weiss giggled while watching him swim and make a bit of a fool of himself trying to attack water.

“I don’t _technically_ think dogs are allowed in there, so I only let him in when no one’s around,” Ruby explained.

“He looks so happy.”

“He’d swim for hours if I let him!But I usually don’t have time for that.” Shoving her hands into her pockets again, Ruby watched Zwei swim for a few seconds before finally stirring back to life.

“Anyway, come on, Zwei!” she called out, drawing the little creature back to them.When Zwei reached the edge, he stood on his back legs and pulled himself out of the fountain with ease.Dropping down to the grass in front of them, he shook out his wet fur - showering them in a spray of fountain water.

Weiss held both of her hands in front of her face while Ruby did the same - trying to shield themselves from the castoff.

“Zwei!” Ruby shouted as soon as he finished and ran away from them.“You little jerk!”

Sighing, Ruby looked at the front of her hoodie, which was now covered in darkened water spots.Then she looked at Weiss, her expression abundantly apologetic.

“Sorry...he got your coat all wet…” 

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Weiss replied, glancing down and finding similar spots of water speckling the front of her jacket.“It’s only water.”

“And dirty dog…” 

Still frowning, Ruby was more concerned than she should be about a little water. 

“I think I’ll survive,” Weiss reassured the girl with a smile.

Although she would need to have her jacket dry cleaned...there was no way she could allow her mother to see even the faintest outline of a water spot - that was asking for a scolding.But she didn’t want Ruby to feel guilty over something so innocent, especially when it was easy for Weiss to send something to be cleaned.

Fortunately, the assurance worked, and Ruby smiled.

Again, Weiss found herself trapped within that gaze, losing any sense of time or decency.She knew she wasn’t supposed to stare at others, but did it count when Ruby was staring at her too? 

It was only when Ruby’s eyes moved away that the sensation disappeared.

“We should probably head back now…” she said, looking over the trees at the disappearing sun.“It’ll get dark soon.”

“You’re probably right,” Weiss agreed, turning with Ruby so they could follow Zwei away from the fountain. 

The sun was getting quite low in the sky - rapidly approaching the horizon as they made their way back to the park’s entrance.The sound of raindrops gave way to the sound of a soft breeze rustling through the few remaining leaves, knocking many off in the process, but also Ruby’s joyful, endless chatters.

Classes, track practices, favorite professors, least favorite professors...Ruby covered a wide assortment of subjects in a very short amount of time, but Weiss didn’t mind in the slightest.The conversation was light and effortless, just as their entire time together seemed to be.

It was only as they neared the spot where they would go their separate ways did Weiss realize how special it was that Ruby had taken her to see the fountain.Not only had Ruby shared her favorite part of the park with Weiss, but she’d also shared her time.

“Ruby,” Weiss said during a short break in the conversation.She wanted to make sure she said this before their time ended, because she didn’t know when they might see each other again.“Thank you for spending time with me today.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she ducked her head, and her cheeks noticeably warmed.When the sound of happy laughter reached her ears, she looked up and found a delighted Ruby.

“Weiss, I _wanted_ to spend time with you!” Ruby replied, not embarrassed in the least by that candid answer.“Oh hey, you should meet Yang and Blake sometime!I think you’d really like them.”

“I’d like that,” Weiss said with a smile, hoping her cheeks would return to their normal color quickly.

There was no way she would pass up an opportunity to spend more time with Ruby - at this point, she’d agree to almost invitation if it gave her the chance to get to know the girl better.

“Actually, if you want to come over now they’ll probably be home,” Ruby offered, suddenly bouncing up and down at the prospect - Zwei mimicking his owner’s excitement by spinning in a small circle.

In a perfect world, Weiss opened her mouth and said ‘yes.’Unfortunately, the time had flown by, and the sky was growing increasingly dark as evening became dusk.

“Oh...I’d love to, but I should head home now…”

She hadn’t thought their walk would be so long, so she hadn’t informed anyone that she would miss dinner.Being late or missing the meal would earn her an admonishment, and she really didn’t want anything to ruin the mood she was in right now. 

For a second, Ruby’s face fell to mirror the disappointment Weiss felt inside, but one blink and the expression completely disappeared - replaced again by the overexcited hopefulness of a puppy.

“Then how about tomorrow?You can meet me here, and we’ll walk over?”

Wasting no time nodding, Weiss briefly wondered how anyone might be able to turn down those shining silver eyes twice in a row.

“What time should I meet you?”


	6. Chapter 6

The park bench wasn’t as uncomfortable as Weiss initially deemed it to be - it was actually quite relaxing to sit there while waiting for Ruby to arrive.Something about the bench, or the park, relieved her stress and tension - allowing her the opportunity to breathe deeply and peacefully.

The weather had turned warmer for the day, which was to her advantage because she’d arrived early again.Not _too_ early, but still early.Her excitement to see Ruby had been tempered somewhat by the anxiety building at the thought of meeting Ruby’s older sister and her girlfriend. 

The girls were Weiss’ age, so she shouldn’t have anything to worry about.Even though they hadn’t gone to the same schools or been raised in the same social structure, they were Weiss’ peers.As such, the three of them should share _some_ common interests. 

At least, that’s what she was trying to convince herself at this moment, but it was difficult to keep her doubts at bay.Years of interacting with the social ‘elite’ had ingrained uncertainty into her very being, causing her to guess and second-guess every social interaction she had.She’d learned to question everything and err on the side of disbelief.

That’s why Ruby was such a breath of relief.Weiss didn’t feel the need to question Ruby’s intentions - but what would these new people be like?

What if they didn’t like her - would they say something to Ruby?Would Ruby stop hanging out with her?

The thought hung like a storm cloud above her head.

The prospect of having a friend was just so new to her...she didn’t want it to disappear so soon.She’d never had someone to confide in.She’d never had someone who didn’t want something from her, who didn’t pick apart her outfits, who didn’t talk about her behind her back.She’d never had someone who didn’t expect her to be the perfect heiress everyone was always searching for.

When she was with Ruby, there was no pressure to be anyone else.She didn’t have to use the biggest words or the best vocabulary.She didn’t have to brag about how wealthy her family was.She didn’t have to dress perfectly.She didn’t have to behave perfectly.She didn’t have to be perfect, _at all_ \- and Ruby seemed to enjoy spending time with her regardless.

And then there was the way Ruby greeted her - with a huge grin and a cheerful -

“Weiss!”

A smile instantly appeared when she heard the now-familiar voice calling out to her.Pushing herself to her feet, she crossed the small distance of sidewalk to meet Ruby halfway - discovering that Zwei wasn’t accompanying her today.

“How’re you doing, Weiss?”

And then there was the way Ruby used Weiss’ name as much as possible…as if even her name was fun to say.

“Better now that you’re here,” she answered a little too honestly - a blush blossoming on her cheeks as a result.

But Ruby quietly laughed off the words, pleased with the admission but not calling more attention to it than that.

“My day just got a whole lot better too!” Ruby replied with that trademark smile.“Are you ready to go?”

After Weiss nodded, they set off for their new destination - walking in the direction Ruby had just come from.

“Uh, so, before we get there…” Ruby began.“I should let you know that Yang is a little...strange…”

“Strange?” 

The way Ruby said the word only stoked the burning nerves smoldering in Weiss’ chest.How well could she possibly get along with ‘strange?’

“Not _bad_ strange!” Ruby quickly replied.“Just...you know how most people have filters, so they only tell certain things to certain people?”

“Yes…”

“Yeah, well Yang doesn’t have one of those!” Ruby said, laughing when she noticed what must be an expression of utter confusion on Weiss’ face.“She’ll treat you like you’ve been friends forever - _meaning_ that you’ll probably hear some things that...maybe you don’t want to hear - mostly concerning Blake.”

“Oh.”

Weiss understood now, maybe.It sounded like Yang was going to be a very...interesting...person to spend time with.

“Also, she’ll tease you like you’re best buds, but she’s only being playful so don’t take it as her being mean to you.”

“I...think I can handle that,” Weiss replied, wondering if she could, in fact, handle that.The teasing she’d undergone during school had been done behind her back, not to her face, so this would be a new experience.

“But she fully expects you to tease her back if you want to!She’s not the type who takes herself too seriously.”

The words felt an awful lot like disclaimers - removing Ruby of any liability for what her older sister might say.

“Thank you for the warning,” Weiss said, giving Ruby what she hoped was a reassuring smile.If there was any chance Yang was similar to Ruby, it would be worth meeting her at least once.If they didn’t get along...that was fine as long as it didn’t impact her relationship with Ruby.

“Also, Blake does this thing where she kinda looks through you.”

“What?”

“She doesn’t _actually_ look through you!But it _feels_ like she can read your mind.”

Weiss thought about the comment as they walked into a quiet neighborhood near the park and nursery.What kind of look did Ruby mean?Was it a calculating gaze?A thoughtful glance?A critical inspection?

“I’ll try to keep my mind empty,” Weiss replied, figuring that she would find out what Ruby meant soon enough. 

As an unintended benefit, Ruby giggled at the response while waving for Weiss to turn right at the end of the block.

“It’s right here!” she said, stopping on the sidewalk and waving towards their destination.

The brick apartment building standing in front of them was nothing special.Around ten stories tall with bricks that had dirtied with age and curtains drawn in nearly every window, it looked similar to any number of apartment buildings placed around the city. 

It might not look special, but Ruby lived here.So, Weiss committed the location to memory.

“It might not look like much,” Ruby said, walking towards the front door and turning to Weiss with a grin.“But that’s cuz it’s not!”

Unsure if she was supposed to laugh or not, Weiss stayed quiet and followed Ruby into a small lobby.The interior of the building matched the character of the exterior - mainly, a bit worn down and dated.A bank of mailboxes occupied the wall on their left while two silver-doored elevators stood on their right.

When Ruby tapped the ‘up’ button on the wall, one of the doors immediately slid open to admit them.Weiss’ nerves amplified as she stepped into the elevator behind Ruby, watching the girl press the button for the fifth floor.

“Are you nervous?”

Weiss’ scoffed at the question - a self-defense mechanism learned to prevent showing signs of weakness to strangers.Only when Ruby tilted her head in confusion did Weiss realize it was unnecessary to dismiss the genuine concern in that way.

“Just a little…” she admitted, looking away from silver eyes that were far more caring than she could have expected.

“Don’t worry!They’re nice,” Ruby assured her as the elevator arrived at their designated floor and released them into the hallway.“Plus, they’d be crazy not to like someone as great as you!”

The reassurance made Weiss feel better _and_ released several pesky butterflies in her chest.Ruby thought she was ‘great’?That was yet another term that had never applied to her before.

Leading the way down the hall, Ruby eventually stopped at a door marked with the numbers ‘517.’Pulling out her keys, she unlocked the door and pushed it open, stepping in first and gesturing for Weiss to follow.

As soon as Weiss stepped inside, she thought that the apartment was small and cramped - elitist thoughts that filled her with a certain level of repulsion for her upbringing.There was a small living room with a sofa and television tucked in the right corner, while a four-person dining table sat directly in front of them.There were two doors that she could find - one to the left and one straight ahead of them.

“Yang!” Ruby called out - the sudden shout shocking Weiss out of her careful examination of Ruby’s home.

Almost immediately, a tall blonde appeared through the door ahead of them with a dish towel still swinging in her hands.Taking one look at Weiss, she burst into laughter.

“Holy shit - it _is_ Weiss Schnee!”

Weiss blinked in surprise, unsure why she’d elicited such a strange greeting.Meanwhile, Yang continued to laugh - a happy sound very similar to Ruby’s.

“I totally thought some girl’d suckered Ruby into believing she was Weiss Schnee,” Yang explained, striding forward and brushing Weiss’ hastily extended hand out of the way in favor of wrapping her in a smothering, uncomfortable hug.“Glad to see you’re not manipulating my baby sis!”

“I...I would never…” Weiss stammered as she took a step away from the girl, resisting the urge to wipe her shoulder where the wet dish towel had just touched her.

Chuckling at the stutters, Yang ran one hand through her mane of golden hair and flashed a brilliant smile.Caught in the watchful lilac gaze, Weiss felt her cheeks heating up.

Yang’s eyes were stunning - nearly as stunning as Ruby’s, though not quite.Her muscular build suggested she spent more than enough time in the gym, and she was almost perfectly equal in height to her little sister.Her overall demeanor was carefree and friendly, but Weiss could sense an underlying layer of protectiveness that coincided with what Ruby mentioned about them getting along ‘suuuper well.’ 

For the first time, she was grateful that she actually _was_ Weiss Schnee - unsure what Yang might’ve done if she wasn’t.

“Where’s Blake?” Ruby asked.She’d stayed by Weiss’ side the entire time but hadn’t interrupted their initial meeting.Now she was grinning, which Weiss would take as a positive sign.

“Oh, she was writing - lemme get her.”

Expecting Yang to head into the other room, Weiss risked a glance at Ruby.

“BLAKE!!WEISS SCHNEE IS HERE!!”

The bellow probably would’ve knocked Weiss over had she not jumped and clutched onto Ruby’s arm in surprise.Immediately embarrassed, she dropped her death grip on the brunette and mumbled a soft ‘sorry’ while trying to collect her scrambled poise.

“Is she deaf now that you just screamed in her ear?”

The voice came from the room on the left side of the apartment, drawing Weiss’ gaze towards the smooth, calm tone.A beautiful girl with long black hair walked through the doorway, removing the reading glasses she’d been wearing and placing them on top of her head.Her build was more petite than Yang’s, although her stature was slightly taller than Weiss.Her eyes were amber - intelligent and thoughtful.

Weiss immediately understood Ruby’s comment from earlier - with those eyes, it felt like Blake saw right through everything she looked at, as if she understood the room far better than the rest of them.

Zwei popped out of the room behind her, trailing behind her before rushing over to Weiss with a happy wag of his tail.

“Oh there’s Zwei!” Yang said.“Was he in there with you this entire time?” 

“He likes to sleep on my feet while I write,” Blake stated calmly.

“Funny, for someone who doesn’t like dogs, you sure spend an awful lot of time with one!” Yang teased.

When Blake took her place beside Yang, Weiss realized that by initial glance the two couldn’t be more opposite - one loud and boisterous, the other quiet and thoughtful.But there was an energy running between them that revealed how they felt for each other - a connection that transcended the initial differences.

“I’m Blake.”With the introduction, Blake extended one hand towards Weiss in a manner contradictory to what Yang had just done.“And I, too, am glad you’re _actually_ Weiss Schnee.”

Somehow, Blake’s smile put Weiss at ease - the girl possessing a soothing aura that did wonders for her nerves.It was easy to see that Blake provided the grounding Yang likely needed.

“You guysssss!!Come on, I’m not _that_ much of an idiot!”

The two girls giggled at Ruby’s whine, apparently used to teasing the younger girl.

“Weiss, tell us the truth - did she know who you were at first?” Yang asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“I...well...no, she didn’t,” Weiss replied, feeling a smile tug at her lips when the two girls fell into more laughter.

Turning to Ruby, Weiss was blessed with the opportunity to see the brunette momentarily pout before breaking out that smile she liked so much.

“Like I said, you weren’t wearing gold clothes - how was I supposed to know??”

All four of them shared a laugh at that - Weiss’ more subdued than the rest, but she chuckled all the same.

“Wait, how do _you guys_ know what she looks like?” Ruby suddenly asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“Well…” Looking somewhat ashamed, Yang shot a look at Blake before answering.“We might’ve...looked her up online...”

“Guysss, seriously??” 

“What??It’s good to do a little homework when someone’s claiming to be the richest person in the world!”

“Third richest.My father and mother are wealthier than me,” Weiss replied, smiling when her attempt at humor succeeded in drawing laughs from the three of them.

She didn’t mind the due diligence.After all, hadn’t she done the same with Ruby?Although her search had been a little more in-depth than merely finding a photograph...

“I have an idea...why don’t we go for a walk?We might not have much longer to enjoy being outside before the weather gets too cold,” Blake suggested, quickly receiving nods of approval from the two sisters, and Weiss in turn.

A few minutes later, they were back on the sidewalk in their jackets.This turn of events actually worked in Weiss’ favor - allowing her to walk side-by-side with Ruby while Blake and Yang walked ahead of them.Zwei led the way while Yang dutifully held the end of his leash. 

The walking lent itself well to a more relaxed atmosphere, nullifying what otherwise might’ve been a stressful question-and-answer session while sitting around the dining room table.Although, at the moment they weren’t pressing her for information - seeming quite content to let her ask her questions first.

“So...Blake, are you a writer?” she asked, having picked up Yang’s mention that the girl was writing when they stepped into the apartment.

Turning slightly, Blake gave Weiss a small smile.

“I work for the paper - mostly editing right now-”

“But she wants to be an author!” Yang broke in, giving her girlfriend a proud smile.“And she’s going to be the _best_ writer there ever was.”

The compliment drew a blush to Blake’s cheeks, but she didn’t turn away from Yang’s gaze.

“Have you written any stories of your own?” Weiss asked, her curiosity increasing.

“Some...I just need the right story, I think.”

“You should write about us!” Yang suggested, earning an immediate eye roll from Blake.

“Yang, I already told you - I’m not writing erotica.”

Giggling, Yang turned all the way around to grin at Weiss.

“Because that’s what it’d be.”

The wink thrown in at the end of that statement lit Weiss’ cheeks on fire, her jaw dropping at the fact that Yang dared to say those words aloud to someone she’d just met.Or to say those words out loud at all.Even though Weiss had been appropriately warned, there was really no way to prepare herself for _that_.

“Well, what do you do, Yang?” she found the courage to ask.

“I sell cars!”

“Cars?” 

Weiss’ mind conjured images of greasy car salesmen spinning their web of lies and fast talking to make a sale.

“Yeah, cars.But don’t worry - I don’t use any lying in _my_ sales pitch.”

“Oh!Yang, you should show her how you sell a car!” Ruby said, bouncing up and down with her words.

Laughing at the request, Yang stopped on the sidewalk and turned to face Weiss.She then took a step closer until she was officially within Weiss’ personal bubble.Wearing a serious expression for just an instant, a radiant smile slowly appeared on Yang’s face.

“Weiss, it’s such a pleasure to meet you,” she said, reaching out both hands to clasp one of Weiss’ warmly.

Weiss’ mouth dried out as Yang’s aura changed from silly and nearly immature to alluring and magnetic at the drop of a hat.A nod of her head was all Yang needed to continue.

“Now, I know that you might not _need_ this car...but I’ve run the numbers and you can definitely _afford_ it.Plus…” Yang took another step closer to Weiss, their bodies now nearly touching - Yang’s face tantalizingly close as she leaned in to whisper, “ _I_ think you would look _really_ great driving it.”

And, just like that, Yang switched off the charm, reverting to her usual self as she chuckled and backed away.

“So, whaddya think?Wanna buy a car?” 

After blinking once, Weiss shook her head to dispel the enchantment and cleared her throat.

“Y-yeah that would work.” 

Hearing a giggle, Weiss turned towards Ruby with wide eyes, only for Ruby to shrug her shoulders.

“She’s _really_ good.”

“Basically, she flirts all day,” Blake added, running one hand lovingly down Yang’s shoulder before settling it comfortably within Yang’s hand.“And _still_ finds the energy to flirt when she gets home.”

“Please...work is hardly flirting - it’s just talking!”

Blake playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head, and Ruby giggled as they continued their stroll down the sidewalk.A small silence enveloped them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.If anything, it was a far more comfortable than Weiss would expect considering they’d just met.

Her nerves had dwindled by now, allowing her to look around as they approached a busier section of Vale, with more shops and restaurants instead of small homes and apartment buildings.

“So, Weiss - I’m guessing you don’t work, right?” Yang asked, her tone not at all judgmental, just factual.

“No, not at the moment…” 

“Well, I imagine planning your wedding is probably more than enough work for now,” Blake added kindly, again turning around to smile at Weiss.“How’s that going?”

“Oh - uh, it’s fine.Just a lot of work, like you said,” she replied, her brain scrambling to find another topic to shift the conversation to before -

“You’re engaged??”

Blake and Yang laughed at Ruby’s shock, but Weiss felt her heart drop precipitously.She really hadn’t wanted...she hadn’t wanted Ruby to find out so soon...

“Ruby, didn’t you notice that huge sparkler on her finger?” Yang asked, gesturing backward at Weiss’ left hand.

She immediately covered the ring with her opposite hand and spun it around so the diamond faced her palm, looking like nothing but a plain gold band from the top.

She hated the thing.It was too big, too flashy, and represented much of what she didn’t like about her family.It was cold, impersonal...something picked without having her taste in mind at all.She’d tried not to wear it - making the argument that such an expensive ring would only make her a target of thieves - but her mother wouldn’t hear any of it.Something about how ‘the media would have a heyday...’

Risking a glance to her side, she wanted - no, needed - to see Ruby’s reaction to the news.But Ruby stared at the ground, her eyebrows furrowed while she bit her bottom lip in deep thought.

The sight sent a knife through Weiss’ heart, but she couldn’t figure out why it made her so upset.Ruby would have found out eventually.It wasn’t a big secret, after all.Nearly the entire city knew, which was only made more apparent by Blake’s knowledge of it.

“Oh wow - speaking of your betrothed.”

Following the direction Blake pointed in, Weiss found what all three of her new friends were now staring at.

And she begged for the earth to open up and swallow her whole - for a black hole to appear right in front of her so that she might step into it - for _anything_ but to be here right now.

After a few seconds passed and she wasn’t provided with an escape from her humiliation, she let out a long sigh.

Posted high above the street in front of them, lit by a row of bright lights on the top and bottom, was an entire billboard featuring the scantily clad photograph of her fianc é \- Cardin Winchester.

“Woah - he’s an underwear model?What a hunk,” Yang commented after letting out a low whistle.

“Excuse me?” 

“Hunkkk...of dirt!” Yang tried to correct before letting out a laugh at her failure.“Come on, Blake - you have to admit he’s attractive!Crew cut, chiseled chin, charming smile...”

“Look at me,” Blake ordered, reaching out one hand and turning Yang’s face towards her.“Now smile.”

When Yang grinned, Blake did too.

“Just as I thought.Nothing compared to yours.”

The two girls shared their private moment while Weiss stared at the billboard - cursing the boy upon it for ruining what had been a wonderful night.

“What’s he like, Weiss?Anywhere near as charming as he looks?”

She balked at Yang’s question, unsure of how honest she could be in this situation. 

“Well, uh...he takes a little...getting used to…” 

“He looks like a prick.”

Weiss gawked at Ruby - shocked by the uncharacteristic comment - while Yang burst into laughter. 

“He _does_ look like a prick, Ruby!Well said.So which is it, Weiss?A charmer or a prick?”

Yang watched Weiss intently - waiting for an answer.She felt the word ‘prick’ rolling around in her head, begging to be set free, but...

“Not charming…” she replied, a small smile appearing when Yang and Blake laughed at her subtle admission.

She’d never said anything negative about Cardin before, mostly because she’d never had anyone trustworthy to say it to.Therefore, all her unfavorable thoughts about him remained firmly in her head - for fear the boy might hear if she spoke them aloud. 

“Anyway, he’s nowhere _near_ as hot as Blake,” Yang added while they resumed their slightly more subdued walk. 

“Please.You’re hotter than all of us combined,” Blake replied smoothly.

“Guys, Weiss is more attractive than either of you!” Ruby suddenly cut in, turning away and flushing when Weiss looked at her in surprise. 

“Weiss?What do you think?” Yang asked, raising her brow at Weiss as everyone turned to her for an answer. 

From their expressions, any response to this playful question would be the right one.

“I think...Ruby is most attractive,” she mumbled, feeling her face blush brilliantly from the admission.

“Alright, let the record show that Weiss declines to choose between Blake and me.”

“Hey!She did choose!And she chose me!” Ruby whined, once again behaving like her usual self.

“She clearly didn’t understand the question,” Yang teased before pointing towards an ice cream parlor across the street.“Oh, speaking of hot, let’s get ice cream!”

“‘Speaking of hot, let’s get ice cream?’” Weiss repeated, struggling to figure out how Yang made that connection.

“Her brain works in mysterioussss ways,” Ruby joked, earning a punch in the shoulder from her sister before she dashed ahead of them with a happy giggle.But, even though she was clearly the most excited to get inside, she held the door for everyone else and waited for Yang to tie Zwei outside. 

“I’m guessing you like ice cream?” Weiss asked, earning a big grin as Ruby walked into the shop behind her.

“You know it!And this place is super great!”

The instant her attention turned to the ice cream parlor, Weiss was utterly overwhelmed.The smell of sugar permeated the air, while the sound of patrons chatting to each other created a comfortably happy atmosphere.Looking towards the bank of ice cream choices, she could already tell there were too many options for her to pick just one - it seemed as if there were a million different flavors and toppings to choose from. 

And she wasn’t very fond of sweets, to begin with...

“What’ll you have, Weiss?” Yang asked as they made their way to the front of the line.

“Uh...I guess I’ll have whatever Ruby’s having…” Weiss answered, earning a huge grin from Ruby, who bowed and literally ran forward to place their order.

But Yang laughed at the decision, earning an elbow in the side from her girlfriend. 

“Let her make her own mistakes...” Blake chided the girl softly.

Blake’s comment didn’t make much sense until Weiss heard Ruby order two ‘Ruby’s Specials’ from the employee behind the counter.By that point, there was nothing she could do but stare in a mixture of horror and amazement as the employee set about creating the largest monstrosity of diabetes she’d ever seen.

Five scoops of different-flavored ice cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, strawberry sauce, an entire banana, probably a full cup of chopped pecans, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chips - all somehow contained in a chocolate dipped waffle bowl, topped with a mound of whipped cream and a single cherry.

When the finished creation was set on the counter, she could barely find the wherewithal to accept it.

“This is probably more sugar than I’ve had in the past five years…” she said, feeling her pulse race just from being _close_ to so much sugar.

“Don’t worry - I’ll finish it if you can’t!” Ruby said, giving Weiss another grin before skipping off to the small, square table Blake had procured for the four of them.

Following Yang to the register, Weiss pulled out her charge card as their bill was added up, but Yang immediately waved her away.

“Don’t worry about it, Weiss.I’ve got it.”Smiling at Weiss, Yang handed her own card to the young boy who’d just made their desserts.

“But I -”

“ _You’re_ the guest tonight,” Yang added, forcibly turning Weiss’ shoulders and giving her a gentle shove away from the counter.“Guests don’t pay.”

Her brow furrowing, Weiss gave Yang a second glance - earning a ‘shooing’ motion - before slowly walking to join Ruby and Blake.

That sequence of events had just knocked her sense of social order from its equilibrium.

The person from the wealthiest family paid for meals when out with friends - that’s how it worked.And, since Weiss’ family had more money than practically anyone else in the world, it meant she always paid.At least, everyone _expected_ her to pay - no matter who’d done the inviting.

If this was actually a rule, she’d never heard of it before.There wasn’t much time to process the information though, because as soon as she sat down at the table, Blake pointed a spoon at her bowl.

“Can I have your cherry?” 

“Oh uh...sure?”

Taking Weiss’ flustered answer as a yes, Blake reached over and plucked the cherry from the top of Weiss’ bowl with her fingers before popping it into her mouth.

“Thank you,” Blake said with a smile.

The action was so friendly and familiar, Weiss didn’t know exactly how to respond.She wasn’t accustomed to someone else taking food right off her plate, but...she enjoyed being able to give Blake something that she wanted?

“Blake _reallyyyy_ likes cherries,” Yang teased as she joined them, pulling out the remaining chair and sitting beside Blake.“Hey, who’s was better Blake - Weiss’ or mine?”

Weiss looked curiously at the milkshake held in Yang’s hand before her face flushed in understanding.

“Well...I had yours so long ago it’s hard to remember,” Blake practically purred in return.

“Maybe you need a refresher?” Yang replied without missing a beat, leaning precariously close to her girlfriend.

“Guys - come on!You’re making Weiss uncomfortable!” Ruby finally cut in, causing both girls to laugh and sit straight in their chairs.

“I’m not...uncomfortable…” Weiss muttered, but she could feel heat radiating in waves from her burning cheeks at how intimate the two were being in public.

“So Weiss, you hiding any _other_ cherries over there?” Yang asked with a suggestive wink.“Maybe _I_ want one too.”

Yang suddenly yelped in surprise when an object hit her right between the eyes and fell to the table with a light tap. 

“There!You can have my cherry, Yang.”

“No!!Ruby, I don’t want your cherry!” Yang said in a panic, picking up the item and trying to hand it back to her sister.

“Too late - you already got it!” Ruby replied with a grin, picking up her spoon to continue devouring her ice cream.

Pouting when Ruby wouldn’t accept her cherry refund and Blake giggled beside her, Yang finally grinned at Weiss and flicked the item into her bowl.

“Looks like Weiss might want your cherry, Ruby.”

Staring down at the object, Weiss was positive she’d never been more embarrassed than she was right now.

“You don’t have to eat that,” Ruby said, glaring at her sister.

Considering her options - and considering that practically every social rule she followed had already been broken - Weiss picked up the cherry by its stem and stuck it in her mouth.Yang stared at her in surprise as she chewed and swallowed the cherry.

“How kind of you to offer me your sister’s cherry,” she said.She immediately wanted to bury her head in the sand from the words, but the three girls burst into laughter as they continued eating their desserts.

“Alright Ruby, you’re right,” Yang said, taking a sip of her milkshake before pointing the cup towards Weiss.“You’re pretty cool.”

The comment made Weiss smile, feeling extraordinarily happy with that compliment and this outing overall.They were teasing her, but not in the passive-aggressive, catty way she was accustomed to.They weren’t mean-spirited - they were just having fun.And she was actually having fun, too.

Over the next few minutes, Weiss learned a great deal of new information - like that Ruby could eat two of those ice cream boats and still be hungry, and Yang and Blake became increasingly intimate as the night progressed.

By the time they exited the shop, the two girls were making all sorts of eyes at each other, hardly able to keep their hands off one another for more than a few seconds.Their behavior caused Weiss’ embarrassment by proximity to grow by the second.

She’d never known two people to be that fond of one another - especially not after dating for more than a few weeks.

“Hey, Ruby - maybe you can meet us back in like an hour or so?” Yang asked as she untied Zwei, before Blake leaned close and whispered something into her ear.“O-or maybe two?”

Waving them away, Ruby shouted “Two hours!” at their backs as they rushed home with Zwei in tow.

Left alone on the sidewalk outside the ice cream parlor, Ruby turned to Weiss with a hopeful smile.

“So...do you need to go home or do you have time to walk around for a bit?Because apparently I can’t go home for a little while.”

“I have time,” Weiss replied, thankful that she’d told her parents she wouldn’t be attending dinner and hadn’t made the driver wait for her like she usually did.

“Awesome!So we can like...just walk?”

When Weiss nodded, Ruby picked a direction and started walking.

“Oh, how far do you live from here?” Ruby asked.

“A ten or fifteen-minute drive -”

“What about walking?”

“Forty-five minutes, I guess?”

Walking wasn’t exactly Weiss’ primary mode of transportation, so she could only estimate how long it was from here to her home.

“Perfect!” Ruby replied, her eyes lighting up with joy.“Then I can walk you home!”

“Oh, you don’t have to do -” she began to say, but Ruby waved her off.

“Nonsense!It’s the perfect way to spend my mandatory outside time.”Happy with their new objective, Ruby kept walking even when Weiss stopped.A few seconds later, Ruby noticed that she was walking alone and turned around in confusion.

“What’s up?”

“It’s actually that way,” Weiss said with a smile, pointing in the opposite direction they’d been heading.

Laughing, Ruby spun herself in the right direction, and they set off again.

The evening was firmly upon them now - the sun removed from the sky while the night air grew a chill only be found during the colder months.Thankfully, Weiss’ jacket held most of the chill at bay and only allowed her cheeks to grow rosy while her hands dug deep into her pockets for warmth.

Their walk was comfortable - filled with laughs and more time getting to know each other.Again, it was easy to forget who she was when she was with Ruby.The girl made her feel like she was just a normal human being - someone to be teased, questioned, listened to…

It was only the change in their surroundings that brought Weiss back to her own reality - the land of sprawling estates, gated driveways, perfectly manicured lawns.The houses grew fewer and further apart while at the same time becoming more extravagant.And, even though Ruby didn’t comment on the houses, Weiss could tell that she _wanted_ to from the way her gaze locked onto each towering mansion.

Ordinarily, Weiss would hurry to put an end to their clear income disparity.Tonight, however, her pace slowed to a crawl as her inevitable departure from Ruby approached.Fortunately, Ruby slowed her speed to match Weiss’ even though such a slow pace looked visibly uncomfortable for someone with so much energy pulsing through their veins.

The familiar gate was just up ahead - the tall, wrought iron fence towering above them while they continued down the sidewalk.For an instant, Weiss wondered if she had to tell Ruby this was her home, or if they could just walk right by - if they could just keep walking to the end of the world, together.

Unfortunately, she had to return home eventually, or her parents would send the entire army out looking for her.Nodding towards the expansive mansion on their left, she said the words she didn’t want to speak aloud.

“This is it.”

Ruby turned to look at the house, which was by far the biggest of any they’d passed.That was by design, of course.One of their ‘neighbors’ once had the audacity to suggest their house was bigger than the Schnee’s...so Weiss’ father had had an entire third story added, four additional wings tacked on, while purchasing and leveling the two nearest properties just to add to the estate’s expansive grounds.

To prove a point.

“So this is where you keep all the gold clothes, huh?” Ruby joked after studying the house for several seconds.“It looks, uh...like I could get lost in there.”

Weiss smiled at the self-deprecating humor - recognizing it as Ruby’s attempt to make her more comfortable.

“We have maps printed up for guests with less...directional savviness.”

She surprised herself with the joke, which flowed from her lips without so much as a pause or a second guess.Ruby even laughed at it as they came to a stop right outside the gate - the brunette ready to allow Weiss to return home for the evening.

“Thanks for coming out again, Weiss.”

“Thank you for the invitation,” she replied sincerely, staring a little too deeply into Ruby’s eyes while trying to differentiate moonlight from liquid silver.

That’s when she realized it was so late that the moon was already making an appearance on the horizon.

“Are you going to be ok walking home by yourself?” she asked, concern building in her chest.“I can have one of the drivers -”

Reaching out, Ruby placed three fingers against Weiss’ lips - instantly putting an end to her words as she stared, her eyes wide with surprise.

“I’ll be just fine, Weiss.It’s not that late, and it’s not a bad neighborhood.Plus, I’m fast!”

Grinning, Ruby removed her hand from Weiss’ mouth, swung her arms back and forth and jumped up and down as if preparing to sprint away.

For her part, Weiss remained frozen for just a few more seconds before her senses returned to her.

“I…I know you’re fast...I just don’t want anything bad to happen…”

“Would it make you feel better if I texted you when I got home?” Ruby suggested, her expression serious.

Weiss immediately nodded because yes, that would make her feel immensely better.That way, if she didn’t hear from Ruby within the next hour, she could send the entire police department out in search of the girl.

“Ok, then can you give me your number?” Ruby asked, pulling out her phone and handing it to Weiss.

Nodding, Weiss quickly entered her contact information and handed the device back - making a note of the wallpaper featuring yet another picture of Ruby and Yang together.After Ruby tapped a few keys, Weiss felt her phone buzz in her jacket pocket.

“There - now you have my number too!And if you wanted to, you can text me sometime - if I’m not at practice, I’m usually bored and on my phone in class.”

“But you should pay attention in class.”

Weiss grimaced when the words left her mouth.They sounded far bossier than she had intended them, but Ruby just ran a hand through her hair with a sheepish chuckle.

“Yeah...but I can multitask!Don’t worry - Yang will kill me if I fail a class, so I make sure to learn enough to get by.”

Taking a deep breath, Weiss reminded herself that not everyone had to throw themselves into their studies like she had.Some people had other things to live for - family, friends, sports.Just because school had been an outlet for her didn’t mean it was for everyone.

“Text me as soon as you get home, ok?” Weiss said instead, giving Ruby a hesitate smile that was returned full force.

“As soon as I walk in the door!” Ruby swore, turning around and waving as she made her way home.

“Goodnight, Weiss!”

“Goodnight, Ruby…”

Rooted to the spot, Weiss watched Ruby walk for as long as humanly possible, refusing to move a muscle until she’d disappeared from view.Only then did Weiss sigh and turn towards her home - the imposing building offering her no feeling of warmth.

Walking towards the guard station so she could be let in, her mind refused to stray from Ruby for more than a second.There was just something about Ruby...invisible as the cool air nipping at Weiss’ cheeks but powerful as hurricane force winds…

Ruby was special - far more special than anyone Weiss had met in this life so far.


	7. Chapter 7

After checking her phone for the hundredth time today and finding no new messages, Weiss let her arm fall back to her side with a sigh.

True to her word, Ruby sent a message as soon as she made it home.It was what happened next that was unexpected.

Instead of saying ‘goodnight,’ the two of them exchanged messages for the next several hours, continuing their conversation from earlier while Ruby threw in some jokes at Yang’s expense.Just like speaking in person, Ruby was delightful and easy to talk to via text - although some of her acronyms went right over Weiss’ head. 

Using context clues, Weiss figured out most of what Ruby said - and the rest disappeared in a barrage of texts and laughter.It wasn’t until the new day broke that they finally said goodnight, the end forced upon them because Ruby had class in the morning.

After the conversation ceased, Weiss tried to fall asleep, but her mind refused to slow down.For over an hour, she laid in bed and read through their messages two more times, smiling again at the jokes Ruby had made.She wasn’t sure when she fell asleep, but she woke up exhausted and with her phone on the pillow beside her. 

However, being tired was the least of her concerns at the moment.

She hadn’t heard from Ruby yet this morning...and wondered if she should message first.Did having Ruby’s number mean that Weiss could message at any time?Or had last night been a one time occasion?On the flip side, had Weiss made it clear enough that she was willing to hear from Ruby day or night? 

There must be commonly accepted etiquette for texting, but - unable to find any definitive answers online - Weiss was forced to guess and second-guess herself.

Ultimately, Ruby could still be sleeping, or be in class, or at practice, and Weiss didn’t want to interrupt if there was something more important going on.If Ruby wanted to talk, she would text - hopefully.Until then, Weiss would glance at her phone every ten seconds - the ordinarily unused device now attached to her palm. 

With nothing to do after eating a small breakfast, Weiss paced the house.Striding from room-to-room - she allowed her thoughts to run rampant and unchecked through her mind.Where else did her thoughts go but to Ruby?Ruby, Ruby, Ruby...everything about her was fascinating.They could probably spend months on end talking, and Weiss would never get bored - which was the first time she could say that about another person.

Entering the foyer and spotting her mother, she instantly stopped her pacing - not wanting another scolding - but her mother just walked past, hardly taking notice of her at all.Of course, the second Weiss let out a silent sigh of relief, the woman stopped and turned back to her.

“Before I forget, you need to go to the bakery today and decide what cake you want for the reception.”

There was no ‘would you’ or ‘could you’ - it was always ‘have to.’And Weiss’ mother knew there would be no argument - that’s why she was already walking into the next room.

With her mother unable to see her, Weiss grimaced at the assigned task.Cake tasting?She hardly enjoyed sweets, to begin with.Of course, her mother held an equal disdain for desserts, which was the only reason she handed off this responsibility.

A small voice in Weiss’ mind wanted to complain and ask if she had to.Honestly, she cared very little for what flavor the cake was.She probably wouldn’t even end up having any of it.This job was much more suited for someone who _enjoyed_ …

Stumbling over an unexpected silver lining, Weiss felt her lips curl into a smile as she lifted her phone back to eye level.

“What time?” she called to the other room - her fingers already tapping out what _had_ to be the best invitation in the world...and the perfect way to start a new conversation.

“Three.”

Sending the message, she waited no longer than five seconds before a reply buzzed her phone - a grin-inducing acceptance of her invitation having arrived.

Her day now remarkably brighter, she slipped her phone into her pocket and looked up just in time to see her father rushing out of the office - sliding a coat over his shoulders in preparation for work.

“Plans today?” he asked while buttoning the jacket and putting on the shoes handed to him by the impeccably-timed butler.

“Cake tasting.”

He huffed in amusement at the response.

“Got coerced into that one, did you,” he replied, knowing exactly how much his wife and daughter enjoyed sweets.There was a reason why desserts weren’t served with their dinners, after all.

But Weiss smiled - the prospect of spending all afternoon trying different flavors of cake made all the better by the thought of Ruby’s company. 

Her reaction must’ve been unusual, because he gave her a curious look before remembering his more pressing, more important matters.

“Get whatever you like.Only the best for my little girl,” he said, rushing out the front door, not bothering to close it behind him.

Through the open door, Weiss watched her father walk to the limousine parked out front and step inside once the door was opened for him.Jezebel was already waiting inside, ready to be whisked off to the office with her ‘boss.’Only god knew how much actual work she accomplished during the day...

A small frown found its way onto Weiss’ face as she watched the sleek, black car pull away. 

Somewhere along the way, he’d missed that she wasn’t his little girl anymore.Gone were the days when she idolized him - with his fancy suits, fast-talking friends, and never-ending gifts.Gone were the times when she’d viewed his ‘assistants’ as her best friends - the women always treating her with kindness and affection she rarely received from her mother.

She understood now that the women pandered to her in an effort to grow closer to his heart - or, more realistically, his wallet.And his doting began and ended with what he could purchase to keep her entertained.

You think horses are cute?Here’s an entire stable filled with them. 

You like music?Here are all the instruments needed to start your own orchestra. 

You want to look at the stars?I’ll have a planetarium constructed on the roof.

All exquisite gifts - gorgeous, beautiful, the best money could buy - but they were terribly lonely when there was no one around to share them with.

Today, however, her bitterness towards the man’s inability to raise children lived only as long as it took for the car to disappear from the driveway. 

The butler pushed the door closed to prevent more cold air from entering the front entryway, and Weiss headed to her room to prepare for her meeting with Ruby - another smile appearing almost immediately when she thought about seeing Ruby again.

But first, Weiss needed another outfit...

A few hours and what must’ve been a hundred outfits later, she stood patiently in front of ‘the best’ cake bakery in town, her gloved hands shoved in her pockets while her slow, steady breathing threw puffs of air in front of her.

It seemed like she was always the one waiting for Ruby - not because Ruby was late, but because Weiss was early.She was a prompt person, but being timely was different from being early.Arriving early was a sign of eagerness.So which was it?Was she being prompt or arriving early?

Her brain ceased its hyper-analysis when her ears picked up the sound of feet quickly approaching her.Turning around, her eyes widened in surprise as Ruby very literally ran towards her.

“Hi, Weiss!” Ruby called from the other end of the block, her legs still smoothly carrying her down the sidewalk.Coming to a stop directly in front of Weiss, Ruby placed both hands on her hips and let out a long breath with a huge grin.“Long time no see!”

Weiss continued to stare. 

It was winter, and Ruby wore nothing but track shorts and a jersey.

“Aren’t you cold??” Weiss finally asked, forcing her gaze from Ruby’s long, toned legs up to her warm, silver eyes.

“Nope!I’m nice and warm as long as I’m running!”Ruby grinned, then ran one hand inconspicuously along her bare arm.“Of course, I’m not running anymore, so…”

“You dolt…” Weiss teased, grabbing Ruby by the elbow and dragging her inside the bakery.

The store felt overly warm compared to the weather outside, but the feeling quickly thawed the chill that had set into Weiss’ cheeks and nose.Meanwhile, sugar overwhelmed the rest of her senses.

Cakes were _everywhere_ \- stacked in cases in front of them, standing on displays in the front windows, placed on tables throughout the small store.The air was heavy with the aroma of vanilla, sugar, and frosting - the mere scent raising Weiss’ blood pressure substantially. 

Trying to adjust to the smell, she made an effort to slow her breathing - taking shallow, meaningful breaths only as often as she needed to maintain consciousness.Ruby, however, drew in a deep breath and let it out with a sound of ecstasy.

“Smells so gooood!”

At Ruby’s words, a portly older man appeared through a doorway behind the display counters.

“Ah, Miss Schnee, you’ve arrived,” he greeted Weiss jovially, stepping out from behind the counter to shake her hand.

“I hope you don’t mind that I brought a...friend with me,” she replied after he released her hand.

Her eyes flitted to the side, wondering if it was too much of a leap to refer to Ruby as her friend already.But finding Ruby smiling at the man, oblivious to the words, Weiss relaxed.

“Not a problem at all - the more the merrier, I always say!”

Waving them past the display counters, he led them to the far end of the store and directed them into a small, private tasting room.It was nothing more than a square room predominantly occupied by a single square table already set with two place settings.He pulled out Weiss’ chair for her while Ruby dropped into the second chair - the brunette either not knowing or not bothering to wait for the man to do the same for her.

“I’ll be right back with what we’ve prepared for you,” he said with an awkward bow before rushing away.

With his absence, Weiss looked at the place setting in front of her - a single plate, dessert fork, and knife.The dish was fine china with an intricate pink and gold rose design swirling along the edges.An empty teacup of the same design with a steaming teapot sat at the end of the table.It smelled like chamomile - her favorite flavor.Either an uncanny coincidence or excellent reconnaissance on the man’s part.

Her analysis of the room completed, she turned her attention to Ruby, who was twirling one sterling fork in her fingers while staring at Weiss with a grin frozen on her lips.Flushing, Weiss quickly realized that this was the most intimate setting they’d shared so far - the room so small that their knees lightly brushed under the table. 

Before Weiss could start a conversation, the man reappeared in the doorway with an assistant close behind - the woman holding a wide tray filled with cakes.

“We have a wide assortment of flavors for you to try today.First, a banana cake with chocolate buttercream frosting,” he said, removing the small cake from the tray and setting it on the table between them.“Then a wonderful hazelnut-almond cake with raspberry filling and chocolate ganache…”

Ruby’s eyes grew wider and wider as the man introduced each cake like a starlet, setting them down in two neat rows of five running across the middle of the table.

Ruby’s reactions to the cakes were far more interesting than the cakes themselves.She was practically drooling - her eyes intently tracking each dessert as it made its short journey from the tray to the table in front of them.

“And finally, a lemon cake with lemon curd filling and vanilla buttercream frosting,” the man said as he placed the last cake down on the table.He then set two pencils and pieces of paper down in front of them, which would be used to write down their thoughts on each concoction.

“We can make any combination you’d like, so if you don’t find something you love here, feel free to ask.And, of course, we can always do a more traditional chocolate and vanilla combination for you.”

“Thank you,” Weiss said, nodding her head once to show she understood their options.When the man turned to leave, Ruby grabbed ahold of the sleeve of his baker’s jacket.

“Uh...do you think I could have some milk?”

A chuckle slipped past Weiss’ lips while the baker looked at Ruby in surprise.

“Milk?”

“Yeah, like a big glass of it?” Ruby replied, blushing softly.

When he glanced at Weiss, she merely shrugged her shoulders, causing him to rush out to fetch Ruby a glass of milk.

“You can’t eat cake without milk,” Ruby said factually.

“Apparently not,” Weiss replied with a smile while pouring herself a cup of the steaming hot tea.

The baker returned with a tall glass of milk moments later.Where he got it, Weiss didn’t know - it could very likely be the same milk used as an ingredient in the cakes.But Ruby was nonplussed, taking a big drink before grinning again.

Satisfied now that Ruby was content, Weiss looked at the cakes sitting in front of them. 

The cakes were small - each a six inch round - with two slices already cut from them.Each cake had an individual name card placed delicately on top, with a name scrawled across in fancy black cursive.

Picking up the items left at the end of the table, Weiss glanced at the slips of paper - which were preprinted with the names of each cake and spaces to write down their thoughts as they made their way through the list.

It was a very organized system.She must admit that she was impressed, but, then again, this was the best cake maker in all of Vale.They were the single destination for having a wedding cake - or any cake, for that matter - custom made. 

“Ok...shall we start?” Weiss asked, picking up the small, silver cake server and preparing to serve their first piece.

“Yes!Please!” 

Shaking her head at Ruby’s enthusiasm, Weiss chose the cake closest to her and furthest to the left, making sure to give Ruby a piece first before dropping a slice onto her own plate.

Ruby immediately devoured half of it.

“Mmm wow - my god Weiss!” Ruby managed to say between forkfuls of cake.“This is sooo good!!”

From Ruby’s positive reaction, Weiss made a note of the name - white butter cake with raspberry filling and lemon buttercream frosting - before picking up her fork and sectioning off a small bite for herself.Placing it in her mouth, she chewed thoughtfully before swallowing - sugar now coating her teeth and tongue. 

The miniscule portion of ice cream she’d eaten last night was enough to last her the entire year...yet here she was adding even more sugar to her system.

“Not bad…” she said, glancing over and finding that Ruby had already eaten the entire slice.

“Here, want to finish my piece too?”Picking up her plate, Weiss offered it to Ruby. 

“But you’re supposed to try these too!” 

“I just did - but there’s no way I can eat all of this.Why don’t you eat the cake and give me your expert opinion, and I’ll keep record on this sheet?” 

Weiss waved the piece of paper in the air with her free hand and smiled when her suggestion made a dent in Ruby’s resistance.

“Ok, fine - you be record keeper, I’ll be cake eater!” Ruby finally agreed, allowing Weiss to scrape the rest of the uneaten piece onto her plate.

“What would you rate this one?” Weiss asked, writing down her initial reaction to the flavor.

“Uhh...7!”

Writing down the number, she nodded in satisfaction.

“Not a bad start, but I think we can do better,” she said, grinning when Ruby’s eyes sparkled with joy.“This next one looks like a winner, too - chocolate devil’s food cake with raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream…”

The second the slice hit Ruby’s plate, she began inhaling it in large mouthfuls while Weiss watched in amusement.

“Mmmmm wow this is _way_ better than the first one!” 

Again, Weiss took just one bite.The sugar was quite overwhelming, but the combination of chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla was somewhat appealing.

Sliding her plate across the table so Ruby could finish her slice, Weiss wrote down her thoughts and waited for Ruby’s reaction.

“What would you give this one?” she asked without looking up, knowing that Ruby was still happily eating.

“An...A minus!”

“An A minus?” Weiss repeated, looking up and receiving a grin.

“Yup!Definitely an A-minus.”

Laughing, she wrote down the score without another word and continued to the next cake.

Eight cakes later, they’d tried all ten cakes with various degrees of success.Weiss had no idea how Ruby managed to eat nearly twenty slices of cake without throwing up, but she seemed none the worse for wear.At least they were _small_ pieces of cake and not normal ones...

Holding the scorecard up in front of her, Weiss read the results out loud.

“Ok...we have a B+ and an A-...two ‘thumbs up’...an ‘excellent’ and a ‘very good’...a wink...a 3 and a 7, although I’m not entirely sure if those were on scales of 1 to 5 or 1 to 10...and one rating dependent on the answer to ‘what is passion fruit anyway?’”

Setting the paper on the table, Weiss couldn’t decide if she was extremely amused or vaguely frustrated by the lack of a cohesive rating system.It made making a decision exceptionally difficult - picking the winner impossible at first glance.

Clearly the result of a sporadic, unsystematic brain...or a clever brunette playing a trick on her.And from the way Ruby was grinning at her, she was leaning towards the latter.

“Let me see!” Ruby said, sticking another forkful of cake into her mouth before reaching across the table for the sheet of paper.

“Hmm...mhmm, mhm, mhm,” she murmured while her silver eyes scanned the list - sounding as if the answers made complete sense to her.

“Can you pick your top three?” Weiss asked.

“Sure!”Grabbing the extra pencil, Ruby quickly circled three names.“But which ones did _you_ like, Weiss?It’s your cake, after all!”

Accepting the paper from Ruby, Weiss looked at the three selections.

“Ironically...I liked the ones you did,” she fibbed, not caring for one flavor over the other.There were a couple she didn’t like, but the rest tasted the same - sugar, sugar, and more sugar.

“Really??” 

The fib immediately paid dividends as Ruby was practically tickled pink that they’d made the same selections.

“Ok, but you need to pick which one you liked the best - I did all the heavy lifting over here!” Ruby said, patting her stomach with a smile.

Biting her lower lip, Weiss looked at the three cakes still in contention and did her best to remember Ruby’s reaction to all three.Which one had Ruby enjoyed the most?

The lemon cake was quite good, but for someone with Ruby’s sweet tooth, it probably wasn’t sweet enough.The devil’s food, raspberry, and vanilla cake was certainly sweet enough, but Ruby didn’t seem to like the chocolate that much.

That left one option - which Ruby seemed to enjoy immensely - a white butter cake with raspberry filling and vanilla buttercream frosting.

Weiss also liked that cake.Not so much for the flavor, but for the wink she received as a rating.

“And the winner is…” she said, reaching out and plucking the name card off the correct cake.“Cake number 7.”

“Ohhhhh I _loved_ that one!!!” Ruby squealed, bringing a smile to Weiss’ face.“Oh, and the raspberry center will go with the flowers!”

Weiss’ smile fell ever-so-slightly at those words, but she watched Ruby thoughtfully - trying to understand how Ruby felt at the moment.Finding nothing hidden underneath the cheerful demeanor,Weiss decided to let it go.

“It would be really pretty with some silver designs on the side,” she commented.The same color as Ruby’s eyes...

“You’re right!” Ruby replied, thankfully oblivious to Weiss’ fascination with the color silver.“That’d be a really pretty cake!”

Yes, it would be beautiful - and it would remind her of Ruby.

Shaking her head to clear away those thoughts, Weiss let her eyes drift across the table still cluttered with expensive cakes.

“You should take these home with you - and share with Yang and Blake if you want.”

“Oh nooo, I can’t do that!”

Ruby shook her head and waved her hands in front of her, but Weiss knew better.She could easily see the desire in Ruby’s eyes.Fortunately, she might already know enough about Ruby to get her to agree, anyway.

“I guess the other option is to let the store throw them away…”

“Ok!I’ll take them!”

Laughing at how easy that had been, Weiss finally stood and Ruby immediately followed her lead.The instant they walked out of the room, the portly baker appeared out of thin air.

“Could you box the rest of those up for us?” Weiss asked the man, who nodded enthusiastically.

“Of course, of course!Were you able to decide on a flavor?” 

“The white cake with raspberry and vanilla,” she answered, handing the paper over to him, which had their final selection circled.“And when you decorate it, can you use silver as the primary color scheme?Silver and red.”

He started nodding before she’d even finished speaking.

“An excellent choice!That will be an exquisite wedding cake.”

She flinched at the word, but he didn’t notice and continued speaking.

“Now, your mom gave us pictures to work on the cake topper - would you like to see a mock of you and your lovely groom?”

Glancing over at Ruby, who was suddenly very interested in an invisible spot on the floor, Weiss shook her head.

“No, that’s fine - just do whatever my mother instructed.”

After nodding, he raced off to pack the cakes in boxes.

Shooting another glance to the side, Weiss found Ruby still somewhat subdued - at least, far more subdued than someone who’d just consumed that much sugar should be.

“Why don’t you let me give you a ride home?” Weiss offered, realizing again that Ruby was dressed inappropriately for the weather and for carrying boxes of cakes.

“It’s ok - it’s not _too_ far.”

“It’s a long way,” Weiss pointed out.“Don’t worry - it’s not an inconvenience at all.Actually, I insist that you let me take you home.” 

She used the best commanding tone she had - which was a pretty forceful one.She was a Schnee, after all.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course,” she replied, waving for the baker to follow her with the three boxes he was carrying.Making her way out the front door, she was greeted by a burst of cold air that solidified her insistence upon not allowing Ruby to walk home.

Fortunately, James - her driver for the afternoon - was still parked directly in front of the building waiting.Seeing her appear, he dutifully stepped out of the vehicle and opened the passenger door for her and Ruby. 

Weiss motioned for Ruby to slide into the car before her, which drew a raised eyebrow from the man. 

The more...distinguished...passenger always got into the car first and emerged last - that was the ‘rule.’That’s why her mother always got in before her, and why her father always got in before either of them.

But Ruby had no idea what unspoken custom she broke by jumping through the door into the vehicle.Weiss followed at a more refined pace, muttering a quiet “thank you, James” before he shut the door behind them.

They waited a few seconds while James loaded the cake boxes securely into the trunk of the vehicle before he got back into the driver’s seat.Ruby looked around the interior of the car the entire time - her eyes wide as she took in the expensive upholstery, the mini bar, and the television screen taking up the wall opposite them.

It was excessive and unnecessary, but it was the only option Weiss had to get around.Her parents had forbidden her to get her own car because driving was ‘beneath her.’

“Where to, Miss?”

Without thinking, she rattled off Ruby’s address - only realizing that it was a strange thing to do when Ruby turned and stared at her in surprise.

“I have a good memory…” Weiss explained, her face flushing profusely while Ruby giggled at the response.

“Does that mean you have my phone number memorized, too?”

If it was possible, Weiss flushed even deeper.

“N-no!” she stammered - a complete lie.“I mean...not quite yet...”

“Aww...that’s too bad,” Ruby replied with a grin.“I’m _really_ bad at remembering phone numbers.I don’t even know Yang’s by heart.”

“Then I guess I shouldn’t feel too bad if I never memorize yours,” Weiss responded, smiling when she realized that Ruby was back to her usual self - the uncomfortable moment in the bakery now a fading memory.

They spent the entirety of the drive talking about anything and everything...that didn’t have to do with cakes or weddings.Weiss thought it was amazing how often Ruby giggled - the girl must have an eternal well of bubbles right beneath the surface of her skin, escaping with even the slightest provocation.Even more incredible was the way the sound instantly brought a smile to Weiss’ lips, occasionally wrestling a laugh from her as well.

In far too little time, the vehicle pulled to a stop by the side of the road.Looking out the window, Weiss saw the apartment building where Ruby, Yang, and Blake lived.

When the passenger door opened, Weiss slid out into the cold first with Ruby seconds behind.

“Thanks for inviting me today, Weiss!” Ruby said, hopping up and down as soon as the cold air hit her bare skin. 

“Thank you for coming,” Weiss responded with a smile before gesturing inside.“Now get inside and put some more clothes on!”

“I’ll carry these upstairs for you,” James offered, having just retrieved the boxes from the trunk.

“Oh, uh...thank you, sir!” Ruby said, giving Weiss one more giant smile before quite literally running inside.But she stuck her head outside a second later, nearly colliding with James as he followed her.

“Bye, Weiss!”

Weiss returned wave before the Ruby finally disappeared - and then Weiss’ smile faded away.The light Ruby provided dimmed as soon as she stepped away from Weiss.It was like a light bulb - either it was on, or it was off.There was no in between.

Climbing back into the car, Weiss shut the door herself and waited patiently for James to return - her thoughts still on the brunette just inside.She didn’t tear her eyes from the apartment building even when James returned to the vehicle, resituating in the front seat and starting the engine.

“Will we be heading home now, Miss?”

At the thought of returning home, a sigh passed her lips.

“Yes.Thank you.”

When he cleared his throat, Weiss looked towards the front cabin and found his eyes trained on her in the rearview mirror.

“She’s a lively spirit, that one.”

Turning her attention towards the window and watching the buildings slide past as the vehicle pulled away from the curb, Weiss hummed in agreement.

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before today.”

Her eyes shot back to the front, but James had already turned his full attention to maneuvering the vehicle through traffic - the comment meant as nothing more than a passing observation.

But he was right.Before Ruby came along, Weiss hardly laughed at all.She’d never had a reason to.

Now she had more than a reason to laugh - she had someone to laugh with.


	8. Chapter 8

It never made sense why people her age were glued to their phones, compulsively checking and reading their messages and emails.It seemed rather pointless - who could possibly be that interesting?Who was so important to demand such immediate attention?Why couldn’t the conversation wait until a more appropriate time?

Well, it hadn’t made sense to her until now.

She’d quickly learned that if she couldn’t spend every waking second with Ruby, staying in constant communication was a worthy substitute. 

Due to Ruby’s school obligations, the past couple days they’d spent apart - but that didn’t mean they were out of touch.That was the furthest from the truth, as Weiss mindlessly traveled from room-to-room while holding an entire conversation with Ruby through text, smiley faces, and those pesky acronyms she started looking up online in order to understand.

With Ruby’s uplifting words never far away, being at home wasn’t as bad as it usually was.The sting from her mother’s insults and harsh scoldings quickly faded.The loneliness of the cavernous mansion never even appeared. 

Because Weiss didn’t feel alone.It was hard to feel alone when her phone buzzed and buzzed with incoming messages.And the best part - Ruby seemed more than happy to maintain constant communication with Weiss, too.

The amount of information passed between them in such a short amount of time was nothing short of remarkable.Even though Weiss normally refused to divulge too much about herself, she admitted everything shy of her darkest secrets to Ruby - and felt assured that the information would be kept in confidence.

There were a few topics that they refused to touch - although whether that was because Ruby didn’t want to hear about them, or Weiss didn’t want to speak about them, she didn’t know.But everything else was fair game - their favorite foods, most embarrassing memories, or record number of cookies eaten in one sitting (anything would’ve beaten her lowly ‘two,’ but four whole _packages_?Really?) 

It was only a matter of days, but Weiss could already say that she and Ruby were...close.Friends, even.

“Sarah Winchester told me you’re having lunch with Cardin today?”

Weiss’ smile disappeared when her mother’s words reached her ears.Looking up from her phone, where Ruby’s joke about how Yang could probably sell a car to a monkey currently lay unanswered, she found her mother watching her from the doorway to the study.

“Right, we are.”

Having been so distracted by Ruby recently, Weiss completely forgot to dread their little ‘date.’Cardin came up with the idea a month ago - although Weiss severely doubted it was his idea alone - and her mother accepted the invitation on her behalf.

Apparently, the day had finally arrived.

“It’ll be good for the two of you to spend some time together before the wedding,” her mother carried on, her approval evident in both tone and posture as she turned and walked back into the study.

“Right…” 

Spending time together would do very little to positively affect Weiss’ opinion of the boy, but she wasn’t about to tell her mother that.As far as the woman was concerned, Cardin was a knight in shining armor - complete with the bags of money and social connections any mother would wish upon her daughter.

With a hefty sigh, Weiss conceded that her joyous pacing was over for now. 

_‘Have you ever wanted to be someone else?’_ she typed as she walked upstairs, suffering from that feeling at this very moment.Everyone told her that she was lucky, but she wished she was a normal person with normal worries, not...whoever she was.If someone wanted to trade places with her, she’d gladly accept - if only that were possible.

_‘When I was in middle school, I wanted to be a superhero!’_ read the reply.Weiss smiled at the very Ruby answer as she reached the second level and turned towards her room.

_‘What would your superpower be?’_

_‘Super speed!They’d call me the flying rose, and I’d wear a red cape!’_

Walking into her bedroom, Weiss chuckled.She could already envision Ruby as a superhero, arriving in a flash of red to save the day with a big smile and adorable laugh.

_‘Do you need a sidekick?’_ Weiss asked, more than willing to give up her current life to fight crime instead.It might be risky, but at least she could spend more time with Ruby.

_‘Every superhero needs an awesome sidekick!You can be the brains of the operation!’_

Standing in the middle of her room, Weiss probably looked like a fool grinning at her phone like she currently was.It was unavoidable though - she loved that Ruby thought she was intelligent.She liked to believe she was, but...her path in life didn’t present many opportunities to prove as much.

_‘I’ll gladly accept the position,’_ she replied before regretfully typing out her bad news. _‘I have to meet someone for lunch today, so won’t be able to text for a little while.’_

Ruby’s response arrived after only a few seconds. 

_‘That’s ok!I’ve gotta go too - but we’ll talk later!’_

Knowing they would pick the conversation up again later sent a wave of relief through Weiss’ veins.If she was being forced to have lunch with Cardin, at least there was light at the end of the tunnel - as soon as this was over, she could text Ruby once more.

Still, Weiss sighed as her only source of happiness was put on hold in favor of preparing for lunch.She spent about a quarter of the time picking an outfit for Cardin as she did when going to see Ruby, but that didn’t bother her one bit.She could care less what he thought of her appearance.If anything, she’d prefer that he wasn’t in any way attracted to her.

With a rather gloomy aura, she found herself in the back of a limousine a couple of hours later, being driven to lunch mostly against her will.If she listed the things she wanted to do today, eating lunch with Cardin would rank just above ‘being catapulted off a cliff with no means of properly landing.’

If she had a choice, she’d be spending time with Ruby instead. _They_ could go out to lunch together and discuss their plans to save the city - or whatever else Ruby wanted to talk about.

When the limousine stopped in front of the small café Weiss had selected for lunch - Cardin allowing her to choose like the _gentleman_ he was - she sighed and sat back against the seat.Seeing as how she had no desire to see him, she needed several moments to steel herself against the onslaught of frustration and annoyance that was to come.

The passenger door opened and cold air swirled into the cabin, yet she still sat there.

Maybe she could pretend to be ill and go home?

No, that was the cowardly thing to do.And it wasn’t a way out - it was only a temporary escape.They would reschedule, and she’d find herself back here before she knew it.Suffering through lunch was the only option - and the sooner she got it over with, the better. 

Ruby was waiting for her on the other side of this horrible endeavor.

Taking a deep breath, Weiss called upon the more pretentious side of her upbringing and stepped out of the vehicle.

“This shouldn’t be long,” she told the chauffeur holding the door for her.“You can wait for me here.”

Receiving a nod of understanding from the new driver for today, she walked towards the restaurant and clenched her hands into loose fists.

The café was in one of the more quaint sections of Vale - a part of the city known for being upper class while maintaining a distinct neighborhood feel.The skyscrapers and tall buildings of downtown were nowhere to be seen.Instead, there were trees everywhere - most sans leaves, except for the few that still refused to accept the onset of winter.Businesses blended into this environment and provided a nice change of pace to the few houses scattered across the street - large homes that were still pressed close together compared to the sprawling estates Weiss was accustomed to.

Brushing past several patrons exiting the café, she slipped through the door before it swung shut.The interior of the restaurant was warm, but not unreasonably so.It was only moderately busy right now, with enough customers that there was an enjoyable level of conversation filling the room. The air smelled of fresh bread - likely the same bread used to make the plethora of sandwiches on the menu. 

Her eyes scanned the small space - searching for and quickly finding a familiar face.One thing she could compliment Cardin on was his timeliness - the tall boy already seated at a table waiting for her to arrive. 

Taking a deep breath, Weiss navigated through the tables towards him.Looking up from his phone and catching her eye, he immediately stood to greet her.

“Hey, Weiss,” he said, giving her nothing more than a slight nod before stepping around the small oval table to pull out her chair for her.

“Cardin,” she replied with a curt tilt of her head, focusing her attention much more on her seat than on him.

Pulling out her chair was a chivalrous gesture, but he only did it because that’s what he’d been trained to do - not because that’s what he wanted to do. 

On the plus side, he finally understood that she didn’t want him to touch her.She’d made that position very clear on the night their engagement was officially announced.When he’d suggested they go back to his house for a ‘celebration,’ she’d told him exactly where to put that thought.

Even though Cardin was attractive, powerful, and wellbred, the idea of any type of intimacy with him was utterly lost on her.There was nothing about him that interested her.Nothing that made her heart beat faster - nothing that caused butterflies in her stomach.He was just...a boy - and a rather obvious one at that.

Whenever he brought up the topic back up, she played the ‘not until marriage’ card - the only argument he was willing to accept.Not that the sanctity of marriage held her back.Love was love, after all.Not that she would know…

After retaking his seat, Cardin picked up his phone to resume texting his friends while they waited for the waiter to appear.Not wanting to be rude and do the same, Weiss watched the people pass by the large glass windows in the front of the café.

The two of them had known each other forever, but that didn’t mean they were close.If anything, it only meant Weiss had known how much she didn’t like Cardin for a very, very long time.He was entitled, chauvinistic, egotistical, vain - qualities any girl would want in a lifetime partner.But their families had been involved in business deals together since before either of them were born - although, from the way their parents were currently behaving, none of those deals had been nearly as important as this marriage.

Feeling a presence appear at her elbow, Weiss looked up and found an attractive young girl in an apron standing beside them.

“Good afternoon!My name is Stacy, and I’ll be your server - what can I get for you today?”

“I’ll have the salmon salad, and water is fine,” Weiss replied, placing her order without ever looking at the menu.To speed this process along, she’d looked at the menu online and decided what she wanted before leaving the house.

“Excellent choice.And you, sir?”

Looking up at their waitress, Cardin leaned closer and smiled.

“Well...I was wondering if you could tell me what your _specials_ are?”

Weiss scowled in disgust at the tone, while the oblivious waitress giggled in delight.

“We don’t have any specials for lunch,” she said, never taking her eyes off Cardin while he smirked at her.“But we have several specials at dinner if you want to come back then...”

“Maybe I will,” he replied, his voice dripping with suggestive connotations.“Until then, I guess I’ll have the southwest sandwich and water.”

“Sounds good.I’ll get that order in for you right away!”Hardly sparing Weiss a second glance, the waitress picked up their menus and hurried back to the kitchen. 

After leering after the poor girl, Cardin went back to his phone and checked for any new messages.As he did so, Weiss fought against a wave of indignation at what had just occurred.What was she supposed to say though?‘Don’t be a pig?’Seeing as how he _was_ a pig, that would accomplish nothing at all.

Glasses of water were delivered to the table before Cardin finally finished his texts and set his phone down beside his silverware in case any responses came back.

“So, how’s it been, Weiss?”

“Good,” she answered shortly, internally scowling each time he glanced towards the phone.“How have you been?How are your parents?”

Eyes following another waitress past the table, Cardin scoffed and leaned forward to watch the girl walk all the way back to the kitchen. 

“The yard guys mowed the lawn the wrong way yesterday,” he answered when the distraction disappeared.“Mom about had a stroke.” 

Weiss shook her head at the ‘problems’ they faced.Most people only cared that their lawns were cut and orderly - Sarah Winchester cared that clockwise lines were mowed into the grass.

“What about you?” Cardin asked, tapping the top of his phone before turning back to Weiss.“How’re the ‘rents?”

“My father is working, as usual.Mother is busy with wedding plans.”

“Oh yeah.How’s the, uh, wedding stuff going?”

Weiss stifled the urge to roll her eyes at the question.She never knew it was possible to hate the way a person spoke so much, but Cardin proved it true over and over again.All he had to do was open his mouth, and she was instantly annoyed.

“It’s going well,” she answered politely anyway.“My mother is handling most of it.”

“Ah.Cool.The other day they had me try on a ton of different suits.”

“Did you end up finding one?”

“Yeah.It’s...well, black.”

The conversation stalled and Weiss glanced towards the kitchen, praying for their food to arrive. 

Talking to Cardin was exceptionally difficult.The only topics he could coherently speak about were cars and ‘hot girls.’The cars were idolized; the ‘hot girls’ were degraded.

“So...have you been up to anything else?” she asked, grasping at straws for another topic of conversation.

“Oh yeah, been really busy.Work’s taking off,” he replied, leaning back in his chair while raising his arms over his head - showing off biceps any boy would kill to have.

“Right - I saw one of the billboards while out with some friends,” she answered, ignoring his pointless attempt to impress her.

“You have friends??”

Dropping her cordial demeanor, she bristled at the implied insult.Although not entirely uncalled for, it was still a classless insinuation to make.

“Yes, of course I have friends.”

“Are they hot?”

Her lip curled in disgust at his follow-up question.

“They’re not your type,” she shot back, far more defensively than anticipated. 

_They_ were undoubtedly _his_ type - attractive females with a pulse - but _he_ definitely wasn’t _their_ type.Yang and Blake were too in love with each other to have interest in anyone else.And Ruby...well, Ruby wouldn’t be interested. 

“So, not hot.Got it,” Cardin replied with a wink, as if Weiss had just saved him the trouble of pursuing someone unattractive.“You know who’s hot though?These girls I’ve been working with.Jesus, they’re smokin’ - and then the way they’re _all_ over me all the time -”

Fed up with the conversation, Weiss tuned Cardin out while he ranted about how hot these girls were, how much they turned him on, and how often they tried to hook up with him.She wanted to say, ‘Well no shit, Sherlock - they’re models, of course they’re attractive,’ but kept her mouth shut and stared out the front window.

She couldn’t understand if he was trying to make her jealous, or if he was just too stupid to realize this wasn’t the type of conversation you held with your fiancée.Not that she considered herself to be his fiancée in anything other than title - and from the rumors she’d heard about his...exploits...she knew he didn’t feel emotionally tied to anyone either.

When her salad appeared in front of her, she picked at it and waited for lunch to end. 

Was this what her conversations were destined to be like?Was this why her mother rarely said anything at the dinner table? 

How quickly Weiss had gotten used to having pleasant conversations with people who had more than a handful of intelligent thoughts per day.Those were the people she wanted to be spending time with right now, not Cardin.

Like Ruby - Ruby was smart in her own way.Maybe not a ‘book smart’ genius, but she had great views of the world and life.As an added bonus, she wasn’t a disgusting human being who viewed any attractive woman as her next great conquest. 

Ruby was funny, kind...maybe just a _little_ unsophisticated, but with a childlike optimism that was endearing.She had a way of putting people at ease - her innocent silliness enough to lower someone’s guard.With lowered walls, it was easy for some of that bubbly enthusiasm to rub off. 

It was a stark contrast to someone like Cardin, who would take note of any perceived weakness and exploit it at a future date.Weiss couldn’t even blame him though.Exploiting was what they did - what they’d been raised to do.Their families hadn’t made it this far without stepping on the backs - and necks - of others along the way.

That way of life didn’t exist for Ruby.There was no never-ending struggle for prestige and power.There was just...living and being happy from one day to the next.It seemed like a better way to live.And Ruby was all the better for it.

When a familiar bob of brunette hair past the window of the café, Weiss sat straight up in her chair in surprise. 

Ruby!

Ruby and another girl stopped on the far side of the street, huffing out clouds of white air and breathing heavily from their run.After taking a few seconds to catch her breath, Ruby made a comment to the girl, which elicited an enthusiastic nod in response.

Weiss didn’t recognize Ruby’s company - a cheerful girl with short, orange hair.Deductive reasoning told her that if they were running together, they must both be on the track team.However, this new girl didn’t really seem coordinated enough to be an athlete…

And they were pretty far from Vale University’s campus - had they run all this way?

The orange-haired girl said something, gesturing widely as Ruby burst into laughter.Weiss immediately smiled at the sight.

Ruby was beautiful when she laughed…

As soon as the thought crossed Weiss’ mind, she felt a sharp pang of jealousy to go along with it - watching the two girls hug before the orange-haired girl jogged up the steps of a large brownstone home nearby.

Who was that girl?And who was she to Ruby? 

In their conversations, Ruby had brought up many different names of friends and acquaintances, but since she never gave a physical description of what they looked like, Weiss had no way of knowing who this particular person might be. _If_ Ruby had even mentioned her before.They seemed to be close friends from the hug, but maybe Ruby hugged all of her friends goodbye.But, if that was the case, why hadn’t she hugged Weiss? 

Maybe Weiss gave off a ‘don’t touch me’ vibe...although that hadn’t prevented Yang from crushing her in a hug the first time they met.

Maybe she just wasn’t special enough for a hug.

Discouraged by that thought, Weiss watched Ruby pull out her cell phone and start reading.A small smile appeared on her face, immediately increasing Weiss’ jealousy as she wondered who the message or email might be from.

After typing a quick response, Ruby set off in the opposite direction at a fast pace - much faster than she’d been running with her friend.

Her eyes following Ruby away from the café, Weiss nearly jumped out of her seat when her phone buzzed against the table.Lunging for the device, she beamed when she read the name lighting up the screen.

Shooting a glance across the table at Cardin, she found he was still in the middle of his stories while checking his phone at the same time.Satisfied that he was sufficiently occupied and wouldn’t notice her breach in manners, she grinned at her phone and read the message carefully.

_‘Hey Weiss, wanna see something cool?Meet me at the Vale U library at 7?’_

Immediately accepting the invitation, Weiss ran a quick calculation of how many minutes were left before she would see Ruby again.With that number in her mind, it didn’t matter that Cardin still sat across from her - she could leave soon and end her day on a good note.

Plus, she’d just witnessed something that made butterflies take flight within her chest.

That smile had been for her.


	9. Chapter 9

After lunch with Cardin and dinner with her parents, Weiss was worn down by the day.The combined personalities of Cardin, her mother, and her father, were enough to grate upon her thick skin and steadily deplete her stores of energy.By the time dinner ended, seeing Ruby again couldn’t arrive quickly enough.

Exhaustion couldn’t dampen Weiss’ spirits today though.Instead, excitement took over as soon as she pulled her jacket from the coat closet.

“Can you arrange a car for me?” she directed towards the butler, who nodded and set off to accomplish that task.Resigned that it would take several minutes for a ride to be ready, she pulled on a pair of gloves and wrapped a scarf around her neck.Red was the choice for tonight - the color Ruby commonly wore, and thus the color Weiss most closely associated with the girl. 

Before heading outside, she paused to examine her reflection in the mirror hanging inside the closet door.The deep red gloves and matching scarf paired wonderfully with her white jacket and hair.Thankfully, the shade wasn’t too bright - a more vibrant color might’ve been too much for this evening.With a pair of jeans and black boots, she approved of the low-key outfit. 

Flashy wasn’t her goal tonight.She wanted to be fashionable, but not flashy. 

Straightening her jacket and repositioning her scarf, she was finally ready to leave - confident that she looked as put together as possible.

“Miss.”

Being waved through the open door, Weiss found a car was now waiting for her outside.With a nod, she walked out and found that the temperature had grown substantially colder after the sun disappeared from the sky.The frosty air nipped at her exposed cheeks and nose, but, thankfully, it was only a short distance down the front steps to the vehicle idling in the drive.

“Oh, hello James,” she said when she recognized the man standing by the passenger door - one of the few drivers she knew by name.The rest of them cycled through quickly, and it was hardly worth memorizing their names when they might be gone the next week.

James was the only chauffeur individually assigned to their family through the car service they hired.He was most often in charge of driving her father, not her - unless her father was otherwise occupied for the foreseeable future. 

“Good evening, Miss,” James greeted her with a polite bow and small smile.Opening the door, he gestured her inside.“Where will you be going tonight?”

“The Vale University library,” she responded before slipping into the vehicle and making herself comfortable in the backseat.

They didn’t speak another word while driving through the streets of Vale towards the university.Content with staring out the deeply-tinted windows at the street lamps passing by, Weiss tried to convince herself that those weren’t nerves building in her stomach.She wasn’t anxious about Ruby’s plans for them tonight.

And those weren’t butterflies fluttering around her chest when she saw Ruby sitting on the steps leading up to the giant, four-story library - the girl already waiting for her.

Recognizing the vehicle, Ruby jogged towards them before James had even pulled to a complete stop.The instant the tires stopped turning and the door locks popped up, Ruby pulled open the passenger door and stuck her head inside.

“Hiya, Weiss!” she said with a huge grin after finding Weiss seated inside.

A laugh escaped her - part relief, part amusement at what Ruby had just done.It broke half a dozen social rules in under five seconds, but it was a refreshing way to be greeted.

“Hello, Ruby,” Weiss replied while making her way gracefully out of the vehicle, trying not to let any of her nerves or excitement show.

Ruby backed away when James stepped behind her and placed his hand on the car door - the man moderately disgruntled by the way she’d just stepped on his toes.When Weiss smiled up at him, however, his frown eased and he smiled as well.

“I’ll wait for you here, Miss Schnee,” he commented as he closed the door behind her.

“Oh, you don’t have to -”

“Boss’ orders,” he explained with a sympathetic expression.“We’re not supposed to leave you anywhere alone after 6.”

“Oh…”

Weiss hadn’t known that was a rule until this moment, but it explained several instances when the chauffeurs stubbornly waited regardless of her request.It seemed hyper-protective and invasive, but when she looked at Ruby, Ruby merely shrugged and turned to lead them away.

“Come on, it’s not too far from here!”

Letting go of the new rule forced upon her, Weiss embraced Ruby’s company and followed her away from the library.While they walked, she looked at the unfamiliar scenery around them - the campus walkways lit by strategically-placed lamps, the illuminated buildings hemming them in on either side, and the sculpted trees lining the path.Even though it was growing late, a steady stream of students entered and exited the library - some in groups, but mostly alone.As they moved further away, however, they passed fewer and fewer people.

“Have you been here before?” Ruby asked, swinging her arms as she walked.

“Only once.”

Weiss visited years ago - back when her mother still pretended she had a choice in which college she would attend.They’d taken on a private tour - a whirlwind of a hike that had, unbeknownst to her, been nothing more than a formality.Weiss’ mother informed her on the drive home that she would never attend this school - or any school other than Vale Academy.

Shaking those negative emotions from her mind, Weiss focused on the good instead - mainly, the cheerful girl walking beside her.

“That was during the summer though,” she added.“Everything looks different now.”

“Ohhh yeah, I bet!This place is totally dead over break.”

“That was the general impression,” Weiss agreed because giving Ruby a curious glance.“But how do you know?Are you here over the summer?”

The prospect of mandatory summer courses entered Weiss’ mind, but disappeared when Ruby pulled her jacket tighter around her and nodded.

“Yeah, track’s basically year round.Probably a good thing too - otherwise I’d drive Yang crazy!”

Smiling at the thought, Weiss glanced at a pair of younger girls passing them by.The students outside this evening were bundled up and looking far more scholarly than they had over summer break.From first glance, it looked like a school her mother might’ve considered letting her attend...if the median income for the students in attendance had an extra zero tacked onto the back.

What would it have been like to go to this giant university filled with such a diverse and interesting student body?

Maybe Weiss would’ve run into Ruby sooner.Although, on a campus this size, that was highly unlikely.But if the impossible _had_ happened, it was hard to decide if they would’ve become friends or not.

But say they had become friends...Weiss could’ve met Ruby for lunch or dinner after class instead of heading straight home as she’d always done.They could’ve studied together in the library - instead, she’d studied alone at home.She could’ve gone to the track meets and cheered Ruby on instead of showing no interest in extracurriculars.

“I could give you a tour sometime!” Ruby offered, turning to Weiss with a grin.“I mean, when it’s daytime?I can show you all the coolest places!”

“That sounds like fun,” Weiss replied, secretly loving the idea of spending any additional time with Ruby, no matter what they did.“Would any of those places be classrooms?”

“Heck no!I mean...unless you want to see classrooms…”

Chuckling, Weiss shook her head.

“I have faith you’ll pick the most interesting locations.”

“Yeah!But tonight I picked the _coolest_ place to show you!”Skipping several steps forward, Ruby spun around and spread her arms wide.“Tada!”

Ruby’s introduction was enough to make Weiss smile, but confusion grew as she looked at their destination.They’d just walked under a set of towering arches at the edge of an expansive, square building and entered a hollowed-out courtyard area.In the center of this open space was a towering spire - nothing but a ten, maybe fifteen story tower with a large clock visible at the very top.

Craning her neck, Weiss looked at the spire for several seconds, noticing that Ruby was observing her as she did so.The building was tall and appeared architecturally sound, but...there didn’t seem to be anything overly special about it.Other than being tall and placed by itself in the middle of another building, of course.

She didn’t know why this location was worthy of the outing, but that didn’t matter.It had brought the two of them together again, and for that she was grateful.

“It’s...a very nice building,” she replied, glancing at Ruby to see if that was the correct response.

“It has a _secret_.”Stepping back to Weiss, Ruby ducked her head and lowered her voice.“You wanna see?” 

Ruby pulled away with a cheerful grin and a sparkle in her eye - the very expression Weiss found impossible to say ‘no’ to.Not that she had any reason to say ‘no.’To her, this looked like a regular building.Knowing there was a secret only made her want to know what that secret was.

“Are you willing to show me?” she asked, already knowing the answer to that question from the glean in Ruby’s eyes.

“Follow me,” Ruby whispered before walking over to the single door located at the bottom of the tower.Leaning against the wall, Ruby looked very much like she was ready to stand there and hold a conversation - but her silver eyes scanned the area around them, clearly distracted by another agenda.

“Do you see anyone behind me?” Ruby asked, her eyes fixating on Weiss for a second before flitting away. 

Weiss peered around the corner of the tower, then shook her head.It appeared they were the only people in this section of the campus right now - she couldn’t even recall passing anyone since the two girls from earlier.

Nodding, Ruby fished a set of keys from her front pocket, shuffled through them and quickly fit one into the lock on the door.With a grin and a slight turn of the wrist, she unlocked the door and pushed it open.

“Come on,” she whispered, ushering Weiss into the darkened room beyond.

She showed no hesitation walking inside but froze when Ruby shut the door behind them - plunging the room into complete darkness before Weiss had an opportunity to look around.Hearing the lock click into place, she turned to where Ruby should be - and found nothing more than a vague shadow.

Surprisingly, being locked in a small, dark place with Ruby wasn’t at all concerning.What _was_ concerning to Weiss was the secrecy of the situation.

“Are we allowed to be in here?” she asked, even though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

“Uh, well...that depends on who you ask…”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Means don’t ask!” Ruby replied with a giggle.

“But what if we get caught??” Weiss asked, hearing more panic in her voice than she’d like to admit.

But she’d never been a rule breaker.The _thought_ of what her mother would do if she was caught doing something wrong - or doing something even partially improper - was enough to push the idea from her mind.

“Relax, Weiss - we won’t get caught!” Ruby whispered back to her.“Come on, I’ll lead the way.”

Her pulse quickened when Ruby’s hand brushed against her arm before sliding down to grasp her hand firmly - guiding Weiss away from the door.They were most likely trespassing, which was actually against the law, but Weiss willingly followed Ruby further into the darkness.

“There are stairs here - watch your step.”

Even with the whispered warning, Weiss stumbled over the first stair - her mind far more focused on their joined hands than on where her feet were going.Fortunately, Ruby reached out and steadied Weiss with her free hand before they took the first step together.

The decision to wear gloves this evening had been a horrible one.If she hadn’t, she would be able to feel Ruby’s hand in her own…

“We’ve gotta turn here,” Ruby whispered after a short time, carefully nudging Weiss in the right direction.Again, she stumbled but was never in any danger of falling with Ruby holding onto her.

“Are there no lights?” Weiss asked anyway.

“‘Course there are!But turning them on is kind of a dead giveaway someone’s in here.”

Accepting the rational answer, Weiss focused on lifting her feet and feeling out the next stair before setting her foot down.At first, she thought that Ruby must have the interior of the tower memorized in order to find her way in the darkness.But, after a few minutes of climbing, Weiss figured out the pattern of the staircases.Ten stairs up, then turn to the right.Ten more stairs, another right turn - repeat.

“How do you know we won’t get caught?” she prodded, attempting the break the silence that was allowing her to focus far too acutely on Ruby’s fingers. 

“Because there’s only one janitor with a key, and he’s only here the first of the month to take care of the clock.”With the door now several floors below them, at least, Ruby no longer felt the need to whisper - allowing her voice to echo slightly in the hollow space.

“If only one janitor has a key, how do _you_ have one?”

When Ruby let out a nervous chuckle, Weiss knew it was the right question to ask.

“Uh...well...Yang might’ve...kinda... _borrowed_ the key and made a copy when she went to school here…”

Weiss groaned, although it was half-hearted at best.It was difficult to be anything close to upset when Ruby was still holding her hand while leading them upwards. 

But she should’ve known that Yang was involved in this somehow.Breaking into a building wasn’t something Ruby would come up with on her own.And stealing a key from a janitor certainly didn’t seem like something she would think of - or even be capable of - doing.

“When she graduated, she ‘bequeathed’ the key to me,” Ruby explained.“So I have the only copy now.At least, I’m pretty sure it’s the only copy...”

“At least we won’t be running into her here…” Weiss muttered, mostly for her personal benefit - which made it all the more surprising when Ruby laughed.

If Weiss was honest, she’d have to admit that this was kind of...exhilarating.She’d never snuck in anywhere before, and she’d never broken a rule.But there was a first time for everything...and spending time with Ruby seemed to be all about these firsts.

Of course, she was rationalizing their current actions to make them seem less inappropriate, but the cold and calculating part of her knew this was wrong.If they got caught, she’d be in a world of trouble.But she trusted that Ruby wouldn’t take her someplace where that was a legitimate risk.

She...trusted...Ruby.

She’d never trusted anyone in the way she trusted Ruby - not even her parents, who supposedly had her best intentions at heart.She could say anything she wanted right now - anything at all - and be assured that Ruby would keep it between the two of them.There was no manipulation; there were no secret motives.Ruby wanted to spend time with her for _her_ \- no other reason.

It was a wonderful, liberating feeling. 

“Let’s stop for a bit?” Ruby suddenly asked, pausing when they reached another platform between two staircases.

Both of them were breathing heavily from the stairs they’d put behind them - although Weiss was far more out of breath than Ruby.Undoubtedly the result of her lack of exercise and Ruby’s overabundance of it, but it was still slightly embarrassing.

“l haven’t...walked up so many stairs...in a long time,” Weiss admitted.Taking a deep breath, she let it out in one long exhale.

“Sorry...I probably should’ve thought about that...”

Even in the darkness, Weiss could imagine Ruby’s regretful expression.

“Don’t be sorry.Maybe this is a sign...that I should exercise more.” 

When Ruby didn’t respond, Weiss assumed she was still contemplating her ‘mistake’ - which wasn’t a mistake at all.

“If anything, I’m impressed with...how in shape you are,” Weiss added.The comment did the trick, as Ruby giggled.

“Oh yeah, that was my secret goal!I just wanted to show off how in shape I am!”Ruby laughed again - the sound echoing in the dark building surrounding them.“If you think that’s impressive, I’ll totally run back down and up again.”

Feeling Ruby’s hand begin to pull away, Weiss squeezed so that Ruby wouldn’t leave.

“That’s not necessary.I’m already impressed.”

In the brief silence that followed, Weiss wanted to believe that Ruby was smiling at her - happy with yet another admission that Weiss wouldn’t make to anyone else.

“Thank god,” Ruby finally replied.“Cuz my legs are kinda shaking.”

In the darkness, Weiss couldn’t confirm if that statement was true or if it was only said to make her feel better.Regardless, she felt better.

“We’re almost there though,” Ruby added, tugging Weiss forward once more.“It’s only like three more flights.”

“l think I can manage that...” 

“If you can’t, I can carry you!”

Smiling at the offer, Weiss followed Ruby onward and tried to ignore the burning sensation in her legs as they were put back to work.Fortunately, Ruby’s estimate was spot on.After three more sets of stairs, they stopped in front of an outline of a door.Light slipped through the small crack in the door frame, providing the first bit of illumination they’d seen in a while.

“We’re here.”

When Ruby dropped her hand and walked forward, Weiss was disappointed that their journey ended so soon. 

With the small amount of light, Ruby easily unlocked the door and turned back to Weiss.

“Are you ready?”

“I hope so,” was all Weiss thought to say before Ruby threw open the door with another enthusiastic “Tada!”

Light flooded through the doorway, causing Weiss to blink while her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change.Along with the light came a blast of cold air - a stiff breeze rushing through the doorway and immediately cooling down her flushed cheeks from the trek up here.

Before she fully acclimated, Ruby gestured through the doorway - holding it open so that Weiss could walk out first.Stepping into the night air, her jaw slackened as she looked around in amazement.

They were standing on a square platform - hardly twenty by twenty feet - with the giant, illuminated clock suspended above their heads.A single ladder was concealed behind one of four corner pillars holding up the clock, extending up to a wire walkway that must be used to reach the actual clock for maintenance.The platform was surrounded by a wall that came up to about her chest - easy to see over but making it nearly impossible for anyone to spot them from below.

But the view...it was incredible.

Weiss’ feet drew her to the nearest railing, which she leaned against while staring out - hardly feeling the brisk wind blowing through her hair.From here they could see the entire campus, all the way to downtown in the distance. 

Vale Academy was small and regal, but, from this vantage point, Vale University was sprawling and majestic in its own right - especially at night.Under the dusk sky, the university glowed with soft yellow lights from the pathways to the library windows. 

Feeling a warm presence, Weiss turned as Ruby leaned against the railing beside her - so close their shoulders lightly brushed.

“Pretty cool, huh?” Ruby asked, her eyes looking towards the sparkling city lights.

“It’s...breathtaking…” Weiss answered honestly, turning away from Ruby to look in the same direction.

“Yang told me that she and Blake used to come up here all the time when they were in school,” Ruby continued, shifting a fraction of an inch - just enough to cause them to bump shoulders.“They call it ‘The Tower.’It was their secret place….”

“Ah, so you lured me to their old hookup spot?” Weiss teased, surprising herself by the boldness of that statement.

“N-no!” Ruby sputtered, waving her hands frantically and looking horrified by the insinuation that she’d lured Weiss anywhere.“W-well, knowing them, yeah - this most likely was a hookup spot - but that’s not why I wanted to show you!And maybe don’t touch anything up here…”

Smiling at the adorable stammering, Weiss turned back to campus and her eyes lighted upon a track illuminated by tall floodlights.That must be where Ruby practiced...

“Actually...now that you mention it, that would explain the legend that the clocktower is haunted,” Ruby continued while leaning beside Weiss once again.“I heard that some nights if you listen closely, you can hear moans coming from the top…”

Ruby shuddered at the thought. 

“Ehh anyway, let’s not think about that!”

Laughing at Ruby’s discomfort, Weiss tried not to think about what the other two girls had done up here - likely in this exact spot, crying out their feelings for each other while -

Shaking her head and coughing softly, she glanced at Ruby.

“They picked a great spot.It’s so peaceful up here.Romantic too.”

When that comment was met with a doe-eyed look of innocence, Weiss guessed that Ruby hadn’t thought that this little adventure could be construed as romantic.But it kind of _was_.Up here alone...where no one could see them or even find them...with the campus and city as a backdrop, and the illuminated clock above serving as a reminder of where they were.

This was somewhere couples could boldly declare their love for one another, with no prying eyes to be found.This was where caution could be thrown to the wind, where reservations could be let free.

Of course, that probably wasn’t how Ruby saw it.She just wanted to share the spectacular view and have Weiss take part in something exclusive and ‘cool.’

And cool it was - in both meanings of the word. 

Good thing Weiss wore a nice jacket because the night air was growing increasingly chilly - especially at their increased height, where the wind blew steadily.Despite her best attempt to control her chills, a shudder ran through her when another blast of wind swept across the platform.Hugging her jacket closer, she tried to ignore the feeling - she didn’t want to ruin this moment just because it was a little brisk out.

“Hey, are you cold?”

The question came out of the blue, as if Ruby had just read Weiss’ mind.Turning to the left, she found that Ruby’s eyes were filled with concern.

“M-maybe just a little,” Weiss admitted.But her body betrayed her at that moment, and another shiver sent a stutter into her words.

“Maybe I can help?”

Unsure of why that sentence was phrased as a question, Weiss watched Ruby push away from the railing.She was going to turn around when Ruby disappeared behind her, but instead let out a small, startled yelp of shock when Ruby’s arms wrapped around her stomach.Then, Ruby gently pulled Weiss backward until their bodies melded together, enveloping her in warmth and the smell of roses.

“I-is that any better?”

Ruby’s voice was right in Weiss’ ear, the warm breath lifting goosebumps along her arms.She involuntarily shook even more now - the result of rampant nerves suddenly coursing through her veins like wildfire.But it was considerably warmer...

“Y-yes,” she managed to respond - her eyes looking towards downtown, but her brain not recognizing any sensations other than the warm body pressed against her. 

Ruby was warm.Her breathing was fast and shallow in Weiss’ ear, while her arms shook with energy.

“Were you cold too?” Weiss asked, acutely feeling each small shiver that trembled through Ruby’s arms.

“U-uh...yeah, kinda...”

Remaining still, Weiss focused on breathing deeply - trying to calm herself while acclimating to someone being so close to her - touching her, even.Her parents weren’t the biggest believers in physical displays of affection, or displays of affection in general.As a result, physical contact hadn’t been normal as she grew up.

This was different than she would’ve imagined.It felt nice and...safe...like Ruby was actively sheltering her from the cold and keeping the unwanted chill at bay.For the most part, she was successful, selflessly lending Weiss some of her warmth.

Gradually, Weiss calmed down from the initial shock.She felt Ruby relax around the same time - both of them growing more comfortable as the seconds ticked past.

“It’s hard to find a place where you’re truly _alone_ , you know?” Ruby said, her soft words traveling right from her lips to Weiss’ ear.“I come up here to clear my head - take a deep breath and collect myself.Think about all the hard questions in life, you know.”

“Like what?”

“Oh...like what I’m going to eat for dinner - stuff like that,” Ruby replied with a giggle, the noise tickling Weiss’ ear and sending chills down her spine.

“Why did I expect anything else?” Weiss said, struggling the ignore the growing bubble of nerves in her stomach.

It was a typical Ruby answer - something light and humorous to take the edge off a potentially serious conversation.Still, Weiss wondered what Ruby actually pondered up here by herself.For someone with a heightened amount of energy, this tower must be calming - the limited space but endless vision providing a sense of peace.

“Well…” Weiss began, directing her words out towards the campus, where anyone might hear them if they listened closely enough.“Maybe I can help answer that question...will you have dinner with me tomorrow?”

Maybe it wasn’t a declaration, but maybe it was a start.


	10. Chapter 10

“How many will be in your party?”

“Just two,” Weiss answered, nodding her head even though the man couldn’t see her through the phone.

“Wonderful.We’ll see you this afternoon, Miss Schnee.”

“Thank you,” she replied before hanging up the phone and looking around her room with a smile.

After spending the majority of the morning wondering what she’d been thinking inviting Ruby to dinner with no purpose or plan, Weiss had a plan. 

Of course she had a plan.Even though she’d given herself very little time to prepare, she was determined to make this dinner the best it could possibly be – and that’s exactly what she was working towards.A Schnee thrived under pressure and deadlines, after all.At least, that’s what her father would say.

The better part of the morning was spent scouring the internet in search of the perfect place to take Ruby for dinner.It needed to be nice, but not so nice that it would make her uncomfortable.It needed to have good food, but not anything overly complicated.And an incredible dessert menu was a must.

Two hours of meticulous and organized searching revealed the ideal location - a fancy Italian restaurant near the café where Weiss and Cardin had lunch a couple of days ago.It was hard to go wrong with classic spaghetti or lasagna, plus this place was world-renowned for their tiramisu and homemade gelato.Hopefully, that would be a home run with a sweet tooth like Ruby Rose. 

With the reservation made, Weiss couldn’t stop smiling.She was nervous, but reasonably confident that her final choice would be well-received.Hopefully, Ruby would love the gelato, or the food - ideally, both.Weiss wanted her to enjoy the entire experience from start to end.

_‘Just made a reservation for dinner,’_ Weiss typed out to Ruby - whose response was never far away.

_‘Oohhhh where at?’_

_‘It’s a surprise.’_

Imagining Ruby’s pout, Weiss smiled and waited for the response, which arrived several seconds later.

_‘Awww now I can’t wait EVEN MORE!’_

Chuckling at the use of all capital letters, Weiss was about to respond when another message arrived.

_‘Wait - what should I wear?’_

_‘It’s a somewhat classy place, but please wear whatever you want,’_ Weiss sent back, hoping Ruby would take the advice to heart.Weiss had seen customers wearing cut-up jeans and ratty t-shirts before.Wearing something nice was merely a matter of preference, and her only preference was for Ruby to be comfortable.Tonight was about Ruby, after all.

_‘Hmm...ok.Gotta go to class now but talk soon!’_

Taking that as her cue that the conversation was over for the time being, Weiss lowered her phone and sighed.Her heart felt so full at the moment, she couldn’t hide in her room any longer.She needed to walk around - expend some energy - do _something_ to rid herself of these happy jitters sweeping through her body.

Walking to the door, she paused with her hand touching the doorknob.Taking a step backward and glancing to her right - into a mirror hung on the wall - she caught a glimpse of a small smile on her lips before it disappeared. 

Smiling so often was new, but Weiss couldn’t seem to help herself whenever she thought about Ruby - especially after last night.

The smile immediately returned, and Weiss pulled open the door to find spacious halls laying in front of her.As long as she stuck to less-frequented pathways, she was free to pace to her heart’s content.And that’s exactly what her heart wanted to do at the moment, as she thought about what happened just the night before.

She and Ruby must’ve stood at the top of the clocktower for over an hour, braving the cold with each other.They spoke about little things - the weather, the news - and they stayed silent, merely enjoying one another’s company.It was enough to just _be_ there, existing together.

There was no one else in Weiss’ life that she could spend time with like that.Most days, she escaped from one social interaction to the next.With Ruby, she stayed - and she _wanted_ to stay - for far longer than time allowed. 

It had been almost painful when Ruby finally released her, and not just because the cold air had instantly announced its presence.As much as it had been a physical connection between them, it had felt emotional, as well. 

But, as much as Weiss might have liked to, they couldn’t stay up there all night.So they snuck down from the tower and walked back to the library, where she’d insisted that Ruby allow James to drive her home.There was no way Weiss was letting Ruby walk home in the dark - even though Ruby ‘assured’ her that it happened all the time.

That knowledge certainly hadn’t made her feel better…

Once Ruby was safely returned to the quaint apartment building, Weiss was driven home.She’d caught several of James’ glances in the rearview mirror, but he said nothing - and she was content to ride back in silence as her thoughts dwelled upon the girl she just bid goodnight.

It wasn’t that strange for her to have a friend, was it?

True, the amount of time she spent thinking about Ruby might border on obsession, but she easily wrote that off as the unfortunate result of never having a close friend before.It was an indescribably remarkable feeling to have someone to talk to, someone to spend time with, someone to laugh with...someone who enjoyed her company, too.

They hadn’t known each other for very long, but it was already difficult to imagine days without the silver-eyed girl in her life.Something about Ruby was...all-encompassing.Whether it was the innocence, the cheerful and kind-hearted spirit, or something else, Weiss didn’t know.But at this point, she didn’t care. 

Ruby was Ruby.There was nothing Weiss didn’t like about her - it was as simple as that. 

Now if only the day would stop dragging so dinner could arrive.Weiss didn’t want to say she was anxious, but she was _eager_ to see Ruby in person again - to be physically near each other.Even though they communicated regularly through text, it didn’t feel good enough.Weiss couldn’t hear Ruby’s voice through a text message, or see her smile, or hear her laugh…

After last night, it might be acceptable to hug Ruby in greeting.Maybe.But the idea of initiating a hug sent hundreds of butterflies fluttering through Weiss’ stomach.

“Miss.”

Startled from her thoughts, Weiss turned towards the man who’d just addressed her.

“Yes?” she asked, straightening her posture.

“Your mother is looking for you.She’s in the dining room.”

Resisting the urge to sigh, she nodded instead.“Thank you,” she replied as she turned and made her way towards the dining room.

Upon entering the large room several minutes later, Weiss found her mother examining an assortment of dinnerware arranged at one end of the table.

“Weiss.Come here.”

Doing as told, Weiss walked over to her mother and looked at the plates, teacups, and bowls placed in front of them.

“What are these for?” 

“For the reception,” her mother snapped, picking up a teacup and almost immediately set it back down with a shake of her head.“Which do you prefer most?”

The honest answer was that Weiss had no preference in the matter, but she knew better than to express that thought aloud.She also knew better than to select the pattern that had just been dismissed so quickly.

As with everything else, she only needed to guess which option her mother liked most by using verbal and nonverbal cues.It didn’t matter which design or colors she liked more - her mother’s vote would ultimately overrule hers.So, if they both decided upon the same thing from the start, everyone was happy, and there was no need for an argument.

That left Weiss with two choices - a dark red and silver pattern of delicate snowflakes or a brighter red and gold pattern of graceful leaves and foliage.Upon first glance, she leaned towards selecting the place setting with gold - assuming it was real gold and therefore the more expensive of the two.However, her mother was partial to silver and was still looking over that particular set.

“I like the red and silver,” Weiss answered.When her mother nodded, she let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“Very well.We’ll order these.”

When no attempt at further conversation was made, Weiss nodded once and backed slowly away.After putting a certain amount of distance between them, she finally felt comfortable turning around and hurrying away. 

With that critical wedding decision made, Weiss resumed her walk through the manor with an air of gratitude that her mother had released her without any scolding or belittling today. 

Why couldn’t all their interactions be so easy?

What if she got along with her mother even a fraction of how well she got alone with Ruby?What type of relationship would they have then?Would they be able to hold a real conversation?Would Weiss be able to tell her mother about Ruby - about making a new friend who made her feel so...light and free?Would her mother be happy for her?

It was impossible to imagine a world where her mother was happy about anything.

After several minutes of pacing, Weiss eventually found herself in the music room.She would’ve expected every surface to be covered in dust from lack of use - instead, the many instruments shone under bright lights.There were violins, cellos, clarinets - even a harp standing in one corner - but she paid them no mind as her feet carried her to the fantastic grand piano covered in a white finish that positively sparkled.Sitting down on the matching white bench, she ran a hand across the slick cover before pushing it open and staring at the row of keys spread in front of her. 

It had been so long since she’d last played, but she suddenly had the urge to create some music, if only to pass the time and occupy her mind.

Straightening her back and setting her fingers on the keys, she tried to think of a tune to play - and a song immediately popped into her head, willing itself out through her hands.

It had been a long time since she’d last played, so her fingers slipped and strained more than she would’ve liked, but once the rust broke away, she quickly lost herself in the ivory keys and soulful melodies.There was something in the tone of a piano note...something that could lift her heart with a jumpy waltz and bring tears to her eyes with a tragic ballad.

As far as she was concerned, music was the one true gift her parents had unwittingly bestowed upon her.It was the only way she knew to express her feelings exactly how she felt them.To her, coaxing a melody from the piano was like writing an essay - but she tried to find just the right words to describe emotions rather than scenes. 

Dropping her fingers and pounding out a low octave that reverberated through the room, she smiled before moving on - climbing the scale as easily as climbing a single staircase.

She’d stopped playing some time ago when she realized her fingers refused to bring forth anything but sadness and sorrow.The notes were so heavy, they sat upon her heart after every song, refusing to leave her even when the refrain faded away.

But today, she felt a joyful song in her heart - hammering excitedly to get out.It had unwittingly escaped her earlier this morning in the form of a gentle hum, just a few notes bursting momentarily into existence before she caught herself.

She loved playing these types of songs - the ones that could lift someone right out of their melancholy...at least, temporarily. 

It was a tune of happiness, of hope, of belief that tomorrow would be better.

It was a rainbow.Clear skies.

A sunrise…

In the middle of her second song, two housekeepers poked their heads into the room - undoubtedly curious as to where the noise was coming from.Many of them hadn’t worked here long enough to have heard Weiss play before - that’s how long it had been since the sound of a piano drifted from this room. 

Fortunately, they carried on without a word - without interrupting her heart’s song.

With how she currently felt, she could play for hours.The songs flowed smoothly - each one as up-tempo, light, and happy as the person who inspired them.But, after not too long, she was at least partially satisfied and gently dropped the cover over the keys. 

She needed ample time to dress for dinner, after all - and spending hours playing the piano would do very little to help choose an outfit.Leaving the music room behind, she made her way back to her bedroom to prepare for dinner.

The weather was supposed to be colder than usual tonight, but she still decided upon a dress paired with stockings.It was white, knee-length, with gorgeous silver snowflakes embroidered near the hem.It was also sleeveless and hung around her neck in a halter, but she wouldn’t get too cold if she wore a jacket from the car into the restaurant and vice versa.

Coupled with a pair of silver heels, the outfit was dressy but wouldn’t overdress Ruby - no matter what she wore.

She would never admit how long it took her to perfect her outfit, but it _was_ perfect by the time she was ready to go.After sending a message summoning a chauffeur, she rushed downstairs to the foyer in preparation to leave.A well-dressed chauffeur opened the front door several minutes later.

“Miss,” he said, giving her a respectful bow of the head and waving a hand towards the door.

Initially, Weiss was disappointed to find that James wasn’t around this evening.The feeling was short-lived, however, and quickly replaced by excitement after rattling off Ruby’s long-ago memorized address to the new gentleman.

As the limousine pulled down the drive, Weiss’ thoughts turned to Ruby - what Ruby might wear tonight, and what they might talk about.

Her already heightened sense of excitement only grew when the streets became familiar, and her heart was pounding in her chest by the time the limousine came to a stop in front of the apartment building.Unable to contain her eagerness any longer, she broke protocol and didn’t wait for the driver to help her out of the car.Instead, she pushed the door open herself and was instantly greeted by a gust of frigid air - the kind of cold that made it difficult to breathe. 

Not wanting to spend any more time outside than necessary, she raced across the sidewalk before shoving open the door to the lobby - nearly colliding with someone in the process.

“Oh, excuse - Ruby!”

“Hey Weiss!”

Even though Ruby had very nearly been knocked in the head by the door, she was still grinning from ear-to-ear.

“What were you doing -” Weiss began to reprimand on instinct, but quickly forced a halt to her words.“I mean, I’m sorry.I didn’t see you standing there.”

“Don’t be sorry!I was just about to walk outside.”Pausing for a second and taking a small step back, Ruby’s eyes swept up and down Weiss’ outfit.If anyone else so blatantly looked at her, Weiss would’ve been annoyed.Instead, she blushed.

“Uh...w-wow Weiss...you look incredible!” Ruby said, the words only deepening Weiss’ blush.She hadn’t been angling for a compliment, but it felt amazing to receive one - and for it to feel like a sincere compliment, not an obligatory courtesy.

It was only then that she took the time to analyze Ruby’s outfit, feeling her surprise grow while she stared at the figure standing in front of her.

Ruby was wearing a long, flowing black skirt that draped all the way to a pair of shiny black heels - the couple inches of added height propelling the girl into model territory.A stunning, scarlet red blouse could be seen underneath an unbuttoned black blazer - the red and black spectacularly complimenting silver eyes.

A simple change in outfit and the childlike qualities disappeared.Ruby looked...really grown up.Weiss stared for a few seconds longer at the mature young woman standing before her.It was impressive - and a little astonishing - what a transformation had occurred. 

Apparently, there were still many sides of Ruby yet to be discovered.

“Ruby,” Weiss said, her mind stumbling over her thoughts.“You look...that outfit looks great on you.”

Not exactly what she wanted to say, but Ruby blushed and turned away.

“Yeah, I uh...I didn’t want to embarrass you, so I asked Yang for advice…”

Ruby mumbled the words and ran one hand through her short hair, appearing bashful while tugging at the bottom of the jacket.But the sentiment was not lost upon Weiss.

“I wouldn’t be embarrassed no matter what you wore,” she replied, backpedaling when Ruby immediately shot her a quirky grin.“Ok, maybe I’d be a _little_ embarrassed, but that’s not...I wouldn’t...you look wonderful.”

Ruby giggled at the flustered answer, reverting to her natural demeanor in a heartbeat.

“I hope you mean that, because you haven’t seen me walk in heels yet.”

Weiss tried to corral a laugh before it slipped out of her mouth, to no avail.Struggling to maintain a straight face, she waved a hand as if wiping Ruby’s concern from the air between them.

“You just need to walk _really_ slowly,” she recommended, silently thankful that she’d decided upon a pair of heels for herself tonight - or else she’d be severely dwarfed by Ruby.Although, she’d been looking forward to being equal height for once…

“Shall we?” she asked, waving towards the door leading them outside. 

As soon as Ruby stepped forward, Weiss could tell that her ‘walking slowly’ advice was going to go unheeded.Of course, she’d never seen Ruby move at any speed other than _fast_ , so she didn’t know why she expected stilts to slow the girl down.

Seeing as how Ruby was at a severe disadvantage, Weiss held the lobby door open and motioned Ruby out into the cold - while trying to remain as expressionless as possible.

It was like watching a baby giraffe trying to sprint…

Once Ruby made it safely outside, Weiss quickly passed the girl on the way back to the car - rather satisfied that her own experience wearing heels allowed her to move faster than Ruby, for once. 

Ruby struggled mightily with her impediment - her wobbly legs doing their best to press forward as fast as possible without falling over or rolling an ankle.The longer Weiss watched the spectacle, the more her delight grew.Even though she reached the car first, she braved the cold waiting for Ruby to catch up and get into the vehicle first - earning a surprised glance from this driver.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” she asked while sliding into the seat next to Ruby, noticing that her knee was now bouncing up and down.She seemed extra jittery about something tonight...

“No.Well, kinda.Yang said it only takes breaking your ankle once to get really good, but I can’t break an ankle right now - I still have track!”

Weiss shook her head at the sisterly advice, but by the time she opened her mouth to respond, Ruby had already moved on.

“That reminds me.Today at practice, my teammates had an argument over who they’d rather be - that super fashion girl on all those magazines or, uh...or you.”

“Super fashion...you mean Coco?”

“Yeah, that’s the one!” Ruby said, nodding emphatically.“It was about equal - a lot of people wanted to be you, and a lot wanted to be her.It was pretty weird...people saying they wanted to be you...”

“I could imagine that -”

“But when they asked me who I’d rather be, I said that I can’t be you.Because if I’m you, then where would you be?”

Weiss stopped trying to speak, a frown tugging at her mouth while waiting for Ruby to say everything she needed to say.It was unlike her to go on like this without allowing Weiss to get a word in, which meant it must really be bothering her.

“They didn’t get my answer, so I explained that I don’t want to be you because you’re perfect the way you are!That’s when they figured out that I know you and kept asking me all these questions and saying ‘why didn’t you tell us?’”

When Ruby looked at Weiss, it was with silver eyes filled with concern...and confusion.Weiss’ breath caught in her chest while she waited for what was to come next.

“You’re just...you’re a _really_ big deal, Weiss,” Ruby said, finally getting to the crux of the issue.“Other people want to _be_ you and be best friends with you...why would you hang out with me?”

The question hurt a lot more than Weiss thought it would, but it was her fault that Ruby even needed to ask.Being so consumed with enjoying the anonymity Ruby afforded her, Weiss hadn’t paused to think about what Ruby’s friends and classmates might have to say.

Maybe Weiss wasn’t some internationally-recognizable celebrity, but everyone knew her _name_.It was impossible for a single day to pass without some article featuring her family to show up in the papers, and her family’s name was plastered upon some of the most prominent buildings across the world.

Ruby needed an answer from Weiss - or reassurance, even.Which was, unfortunately, something she struggled with. 

After opening and closing her mouth several times, vetoing several responses before they made it into existence, she finally decided that honesty was the best approach.Just be honest.

“Because you _don’t_ treat me like a big deal, Ruby,” Weiss replied, a temporary spike in her nerves sending a jitter through her knees.“You’re...you’re just you, and I can be just me.It’s so nice to spend time with someone and not worry about every little thing I do.And I don’t consider myself to be a ‘big deal,’ so I like...I like the way things are with you.”

Her cheeks flushed deeply - feeling as though she’d just attested to far too many of her intimate feelings.But the last thing she wanted was for Ruby to feel used in any way.Or, even worse, that she was being pitied for some reason.

“You’re a big deal to me, Weiss!Just...not because of the money and stuff.”

Just like that, Ruby’s concern disappeared - replaced by an easygoing smile and a small blush.But the words made Weiss’ heart soar - happy that Ruby so readily accepted what she’d just admitted.

Feeling the vehicle slide to a smooth stop, Weiss was immediately grateful for a change in topic.Peering out the darkened windows, she found that they’d completed the short drive to their destination.

“We’re here,” she said, to which Ruby looked out the window and squealed.

“I’ve always wanted to go here!”

They weren’t even inside yet, but Weiss already grinned in success. 

When the driver opened the door, a blast of freezing air greeted her as she exited the vehicle - her first breath visible as a cloud of frost.Waiting patiently for Ruby to appear behind her, Weiss nodded to the driver before they set off for the front doors of Alexander’s.

Weiss let Ruby take the lead - with the sole intention of watching her walk in heels some more.When Ruby took a giant step forward and wobbled, Weiss giggled and rushed forward to grab ahold of Ruby’s hand.It was only then that Weiss realized what she’d done - too late to back away from the gesture without making the situation uncomfortable.

“You need to take smaller steps,” she advised.“Like this.”

Grasping Ruby’s hand, Weiss set the pace to the restaurant - using shorten, dainty steps that Ruby hesitantly matched.A light giggle said that Ruby was enjoying herself, and she walked with fewer falters now that more concentration was placed on her steps.All while Weiss prayed that her palm wouldn’t grow much clammier.

Pulling open the front door with her free hand, Weiss dropped Ruby’s as they walked into the warm building - inconspicuously wiping her palm on the side of her jacket while pausing to take in the scene surrounding them.

The small entryway was crowded with people.The few chairs lining the walls were occupied, and even more people stood while waiting for a table.The host at the front podium was hastily speaking to guests while also answering the phone and scribbling notes on the papers in front of him.

“Wow, this place is busy,” Ruby commented from beside her.

When Weiss turned to Ruby, she caught sight of the young man standing just to Ruby’s right - his eyes roving her form far too freely for Weiss’ taste.Feeling a sneer appear, Weiss gently took Ruby’s elbow and steered them towards the host, still housing a moderate amount of contempt for the young man.

“Hello,” she directed to the host when he hung up the phone.

“I’ll be with you in just a minute,” he responded.His attitude was brusk and dismissive - certainly not the demeanor Weiss expected - or was willing to tolerate - right now.

“Reservation for two - for Weiss Schnee,” she spoke anyway, confident that the name would catch his attention.

And catch his attention it most surely did.

“Oh!Miss Schnee - I uh...I’m sorry, it’s just really hectic and…”He scrambled for a few minutes, his hands frantically searching for menus.“We have your table ready!Will you follow me this way?” he said, flashing a smile that was more nervous than anything else.

But Weiss returned his smile in kind and nodded for him to lead the way.As they followed the host to their seats, she turned and gave Ruby a real smile.

It was the best table in the restaurant - she’d made sure of that beforehand.The intimate little booth sat in the corner of the building where it wasn’t too noisy - making it easy to hold a conversation without being overheard or seen by everyone who walked in.

Once the man placed the menus on opposite sides of the table, Weiss allowed Ruby to pick a seat first.

“Is there anything else you need?” the host asked, turning towards Weiss before she took her seat.

“Oh, yes,” she said quietly, shooting a quick glance towards Ruby to make sure she was adequately distracted at the moment.“There was a young man with blonde hair waiting up front.Please don’t seat him anywhere near us.”

For a second, he just gawked at her as she took her seat.When it became evident she wasn’t joking, he nodded and hurried back to his post without another word.

“I _love_ Italian!” Ruby gushed, opening the menu and placing it on the table in front of her.

“Is there any food you don’t like?” Weiss asked while following suit. 

Her eyes didn’t fall to the menu though.Instead, she waited for Ruby’s answer.Whenever she asked questions like these, her mind sharpened when a response was about to appear - knowing that her brain would immediately file it away under the ‘important to remember’ tab.

“No, not really!”

Receiving the expected response, Weiss relaxed while Ruby giggled. 

If Ruby enjoyed everything, it would be easy to pick out future places to eat.

“What do you think you’ll have?” Weiss asked, finally turning half of her attention to the words written in front of her.She already knew what she was going to have - the lobster linguini dish she’d ordered once before when here with family.

“I think...spaghetti and meatballs.”

A laugh escaped before Weiss realized that Ruby was completely serious about ordering the most straightforward item on the menu.

“I’ve heard their spaghetti is really good,” she immediately followed up, mentally chastising herself for laughing at Ruby’s decision.

But Ruby didn’t appear at all affected or insulted.Instead, she sent a beam across the table that could power all of Vale for the evening.Weiss immediately sought refuge in the menu to avoid being blinded by that light.

“So Weiss, what did you do today?”

Risking another glance, she found Ruby had both elbows planted on the table - leaning forward while intently awaiting an answer.A bubble of anticipation appeared in Weiss’ chest - the kind that preceded great conversations full of laughs and honest disclosures. 

“I waited for dinner.”

Ruby immediately burst into laughter, the happy sound bringing a smile to Weiss’ lips.

“I totally did too!” Ruby answered, nodding all the while.“I ate breakfast and told Yang I couldn’t wait for dinner.She thought I was crazy.”

“Really?It seems like that should be a relatively normal occurrence,” Weiss teased.

“I agree!But she mentioned that I couldn’t skip lunch and whatever.”Pausing, Ruby shook her head and smiled again.“But what else did you do?”

People typically didn’t care what Weiss did with her days.Her parents only cared that she did what they told her to do, but other than that everyone assumed that she...well, she wasn’t exactly sure what they assumed.

It was strange that Ruby cared about Weiss’ day - but that same type of strange that made her feel extraordinarily special.

“I played piano, too,” she added, watching Ruby’s eyes light up.“I haven’t played in a long time.”

“That’s right!You’re a piano pro.”After taking a sip of water, Ruby set down her glass and gave Weiss a pleading look.“Will you play for me sometime?”

“Yes, maybe.”

“‘Maybe’ means ‘yes’ in my book!”

Chuckling at the response, Weiss shook her head and asked, “How was your day though?”

“Oh, so much happened!”

“Start from the beginning?”

“Like the _very_ beginning?” Ruby asked before launching into the story anyway.“Ok, so I woke up, rolled over, checked my phone, and already had a text from you!So I stayed in bed until you told me to get ready for class -”

Realizing that Ruby was going to give a play-by-play of the entire day, Weiss smiled and leaned back in her seat.Of course, their waiter chose that moment to appear at their table.

“Sorry for the delay!Welcome to Alexander’s - do you know what you’d like today?”

Even though the waiter turned to Weiss, she waved for Ruby to order first.

“Spaghetti and meatballs!” Ruby said, her excitement causing Weiss to smile.

“And I’ll have the lobster linguini,” she added.Pushing her menu to the side of the table, she hardly gave the man a second glance as her attention returned to Ruby.

“Excellent choices!I’ll get those out to you as soon as possible.”

Left alone once again, Weiss smiled.

“You were saying?” she prodded, hoping that Ruby would pick up right where she left off.

“I was saying...oh!And then lunch rolled around!”

Over the next hour and a half, they filled their section of the restaurant with whispers, giggles, and playful teasing.Their waiter was amused every time he stepped up to their table - but none more so than when Weiss ordered every item on the dessert menu for Ruby.

“ _Everything_?” he asked in shock.“Even all the gelato flavors??”

“What do you think?” Weiss asked, shooting Ruby a sly smile.“Can you eat it?”

“I can try!”When Ruby giggled, Weiss nodded and shooed the waiter away on his new quest.

“Please don’t make yourself sick though,” Weiss added - a concern that Ruby chuckled at.

“I ate like ten of those cakes all by myself,” Ruby said before grinning in pride.“I’m _pretty_ sure I can handle an entire dessert menu.”

And she _did_ manage to eat nearly an entire dessert menu - her endless appetite never ceasing to fill Weiss with amazement.

When their waiter finally appeared with the bill, Weiss handed over her credit card before the check hit the table - immediately drawing a series of adorable whines from the girl sitting across from her.

“Heyyyy, Weiss!You can’t pay for all this!”

“It looks like I just did,” she responded with a smirk, satisfied with how that had played out in her favor.

“But you hardly ate anything!At least let me pay for half!”

Tapping a finger to her chin in fake consideration, Weiss then shook her head.

“I’m the one who invited you,” she pointed out.“And guests don’t pay, remember?”

She used Yang’s line of reasoning because she knew Ruby was familiar with the concept - and it made a substantial dent in her resistance.

“Ok…” Ruby finally agreed.“But I’m buying next time!”

Ruby’s cheerful resolution to their ‘problem’ brought out a smile.Next time...Weiss liked the sound of that.

Not that Weiss would mind paying every time.For once, her never-ending spending allowance offered her the opportunity to do something she actually wanted to do.Being able to spoil Ruby was...nice.Unlike most people, who expected Weiss to buy them things, Ruby expected nothing at all - which made the experience of giving meaningful.

After the check was signed, Weiss looked across the table.

“Are you ready to go?” 

Receiving a nod in response, she stepped out of her seat and watched Ruby do the same - deciding at that she’d never tire of seeing Ruby in this outfit.Allowing Ruby to lead the way, Weiss flushed when she realized she was gazing a little too intimately after the girl.That was the outfit’s fault - plus the heels.

The din of conversation faded to near silence when the front door shut behind them with a heavy thud.Not paying attention, Weiss nearly bumped into Ruby when she suddenly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Weiss, look - it’s snowing!” Ruby said, pointing one hand towards the nearest streetlamp, where speckles of white could be seen descending towards the pavement.“That means it’s finally winter!”

Without a response, Weiss watched the snow drift down around them, tiny flakes dotting Ruby’s hair and eyelashes with white.Combined with silver orbs that radiated pure, unrestrained joyfulness, she was convinced there were few images as beautiful as that which was before her very eyes.

But it was a bittersweet moment - on the heels of a delightful dinner with a fantastic person - to be reminded of what lay ahead for her...and for both of them.

Yes, winter had finally arrived…bringing with it the immaculate white snow that promised purity and new beginnings.In order to reach those new beginnings, they needed to survive the impending cold, first.


	11. Chapter 11

“The mayor already RSVP’d - as well as three of the five senators we invited.”

Weiss refrained from rolling her eyes at the chorus of ‘ooh’s’ the boast received - positive that the ladies in attendance felt little more than jealousy over her mother’s proclamation.

There were few events she loathed more than the monthly tea parties her mother hosted.Full of catty gossip and lambasting the unfortunate soul who missed the date or was snubbed an invitation, it did nothing to ingratiate her with life as matron of the Schnee name.If anything, it made her detest the position even more.For all she could tell, these women were her mother’s rivals - why invite them over to share a cup of tea?Why go through the trouble of pretending to be civil for an afternoon?

Regardless of how Weiss felt, she was forced to attend each month to learn how to become the ‘perfect hostess.’Of course, after casual pleasantries were directed her way, no one paid her any attention.Her lack of participation in the hearsay probably had something to do with that - not that she minded her exclusion in the slightest.

Today’s topic of conversation revolved around the wedding and who would or would not be attending.It made her uncomfortable hearing about the confirmed guests - all powerful men and women she’d been introduced to several times but would by no means consider more than acquaintances.But the wedding was _the_ event of the year - the one party everyone was dying to attend. 

Everyone except for her, of course...

Risking another glance towards the clock by the doorway, a soft sigh escaped her.There were so many other people she’d prefer to speak to right now…

Well...there was _one_ other person she’d rather speak to.

On cue, her phone began buzzing in her pocket with an incoming call.Her heart jumped with excitement as she pulled out the device, only to be immediately disappointed by the unknown number displayed on the screen.

At least it gave her an excuse to leave this room for a minute.

Motioning to her mother that she had a phone call, she received a nod granting permission for her to exit the room.The instant she was in the hallway, she pressed the ‘accept’ button and lifted the phone to one ear.

“Hello?”

“Hey Weiss!”

“Who is this?” she immediately asked, not recognizing the voice.

“‘Who is this??’” the voice repeated in dismay.“It’s Yang!Ruby’s sister?Stunningly beautiful, funny as hell - we had ice cream together, remember?You couldn’t keep your eyes off me the entire time.”

The name instantly conjured a mental image of the blonde - her voice and personality matching perfectly with the person on the other end of the line.

“Oh - hello Yang,” Weiss replied with a smile, choosing the ignore the clear exaggerations Yang had just used.“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“To what do you…” Yang repeated before laughing.“God, don’t be so formal, Weiss!Blake and I just wanted to invite you to a track meet.And you should come - your favorite person will be there!”

“Ruby?” she asked, her heart skipping a beat.

“No!Me!Jeez…”

The sound of Blake giggling in the background made Weiss smile again as Yang continued speaking.

“But yes, Ruby will be there too - so get your rich booty over there!I’ll text you the deets.”

When the call abruptly disconnected, Weiss looked at the screen and watched a text from the same number arrive seconds later.

Rich booty...that was a new one.

Glancing towards the room she’d just vacated and quickly making a decision, she caught the attention of one of the servers.

“Please tell my mother that I had an important engagement come up,” Weiss said, watching the woman nod along as she spoke.“But _only_ if she asks.”

Accepting the explicit instructions, the woman nodded one more time before slipping into the room with another round of hors-d'oeuvres.Weiss doubted her mother would notice her continued absence, but it wasn’t worth the risk of disappearing without a word.

Excitement built as she hurried upstairs and changed out of her too-formal afternoon tea attire.The track meet started soon - and the last thing she wanted was to be late. 

It was curious why Yang and Blake extended the invitation when Ruby hadn’t, but maybe that meant they wanted to be friends with Weiss - which would be fine with her.It was also possible that Ruby instructed them to invite Weiss - maybe in hopes that they could spend more time together?

Yang could be a little...much...but Blake was very easy to get along with.Combined with finally watching Ruby run, it should be a very enjoyable time - much better than Weiss’ original afternoon plans.

Within the hour, she was dropped off near the front entrance of a massive building hosting the track meet.After stepping out of the vehicle, she ignored the questioning glances she received for her lavish method of arrival and hurried through the doors with the rest of the arriving spectators - keeping her eyes peeled for the two girls she was supposed to meet.As soon as she walked through the doors, her attention was absorbed by the enormous space in front of her. 

The atmosphere was that of open air - an entire track housed within a single, continuous building.It was a surreal environment - one she’d only seen outdoors being moved beneath a giant dome, where climate control negated the cold weather and fluorescent bulbs in the ceiling flooded the area with artificial light.

To the left of the track stood the spectator stands, providing an excellent vantage point from which to watch the events.Weiss’ feet drew her in that direction, assuming that that’s where Yang and Blake would be.

A crowd of people milled about - coming and going from the stands as well as the field.Many of them were spectators, but a few participants wearing uniform tracksuits rushed towards their next event.The sound of cheering brought Weiss’ gaze back to the track, just in time to watch a group of runners sprint around the curve - the competition already underway.

Not seeing Ruby in that group, Weiss hurried to the bleachers - not wanting to miss Ruby’s first event.

Fortunately, Yang and Blake were easy to find - seated near the middle of the stands in one of the top rows.As Weiss carefully made her way past other spectators, Blake spotted her - nodding in Weiss’ direction before sending a wave.Yang spun around at the gesture and grinned when her eyes landed on Weiss - her beaming, friendly smile feeling familiar yet different at the same time.

“Hey there, Miss Fancy Pants!” was Yang’s greeting - the name somehow incredibly endearing in her tone.

“Hello Yang, Blake,” Weiss replied, nodding her head to each in turn.“Thank you for inviting me.”

Yang waved off the pleasantries.

“Please.We could use the company - that and Ruby really, _really_ wanted you to be here.Little Roo Roo just couldn’t summon the courage to invite you herself.”

“So she gave you my number to have you do it?” Weiss asked, flattered and a little confused why Ruby hadn’t had the nerve to ask.

But Yang immediately went coy at the question, glancing towards Blake with a tiny grin.

“Welllll...my _exceedingly_ talented girlfriend might’ve...lifted your number from Ruby’s phone…”

“Don’t worry - that’s all I did,” Blake quickly added, undoubtedly responding to Weiss’ mortification at the idea of someone reading through their text messages.Not that there was anything _bad_ in there, but Ruby loved to joke about the two…like by saying Yang had ‘cat scratch fever’ or that Blake was the only one with ‘keys to Yang’s handcuffs.’

“Anyway, come on, sit down - Ruby’s going to run next!” Yang said, patting the section of the bench beside her.

Sitting down in the specified space, Weiss felt her posture stiffen on the metal bleacher with no back support to speak of.It was an uncomfortable way to watch any event, but the vantage point couldn’t be discounted. 

“The 800 meter is first,” Yang explained, correctly assuming that Weiss had never been to a track meet before.“They’re lining up there.”

Following the direction Yang pointed, Weiss saw a handful of girls preparing for the next race - Ruby being one of them. 

Ruby wore the same uniform as many of the other runners at the meet - a dark-red, fitted tank top with skintight, _short_ black shorts.The outfit was incredibly flattering, for whatever reason.It could be the way the shorts made her look even taller than she was - revealing more skin than Weiss expected.Or maybe it was the way the tank top showed off toned arms...

The red of Vale University contrasted with the colors of the rival schools - a green and silver combination, navy blue and gold, and a sickly yellow and green monstrosity.

“How far is 800 meters - two laps?” Weiss guessed, her eyes refusing to leave Ruby while she stretched in preparation for the upcoming event, bending over and easily touching her toes.

“Four laps - this is a smaller track than outdoors,” Yang corrected.

“It’ll be quick though,” Blake added helpfully from Yang’s other side.“They’ll finish right there in front of us.”

“Yes, perfect spot to watch baby sis take home the gold,” Yang said, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.Yang’s excitement was endearing - a welcome sight to find sisters so supportive of one another. 

Weiss was also extremely excited to watch Ruby run, and that feeling only grew in magnitude when the racers separated into individual lanes.

“Uh oh...she’s in lane 5.”

“What’s wrong with lane 5?” Weiss immediately asked, filled with unsubstantiated worry by Blake’s tone.

“Five is her unlucky number,” Yang explained, her eyes still glued to the track.“But don’t worry - she’s still got this.”

After committing the random fact to memory, a loud beep caught Weiss’ attention - and the runners assuming their ready stance.Another chime and the girls froze in position, their heads tilted down while preparing to uncoil the energy trapped within their limbs.The last alert - the sound of a gun going off - had hardly sounded before the runners shot off their blocks, springing forward as if propelled by a cannon.

Weiss’ heart pounded in her ears as she watched the runners rush past them - all six forming a nearly straight line as they stayed in their lanes.It wasn’t until they reached the first bend that all six runners converged to the inner lane - separation now visible while the girls ran in a single-file line around the track. 

The faster competitors used the righthand side to pass the runners in front of them before quickly moving back to the middle, everyone jockeying for the best positioning.By the time the first lap was complete, the clear contenders were out in front - a group of three girls that included Ruby.

The second lap was underway, and Weiss’ eyes remained fixed on Ruby’s form - her own heart racing just as wildly as Ruby’s must be. 

Watching Ruby run was incredible - mesmerizing - like watching a world-class dancer or artist at work.Even though Weiss knew little about proper running form, the way Ruby ran appeared effortless - as if she expended hardly any energy to coax such power from her limbs.Her arms pumped up and down in steady, perfect rhythm while her muscled legs drove her forward.Compared to the two runners in front of her, it looked like Ruby was hardly trying at all.

By the time the third lap ended, Ruby had moved in front of the girl ahead of her, slipping into second place and running right on the heels of the girl in first.The runner in third wasn’t far behind, separated by less than a full second.

Watching the competitors enter the first bend of the last lap, Weiss subconsciously lean forward when Ruby inched towards the outside to pass the girl in first - noticing Yang lean forward as well.Weiss’ pulse raced as Ruby sprinted the far straightaway - drawing even to the girl in green and silver.

“Come on, come on…” she heard Yang mutter, her knees bouncing up and down uncontrollably.“Turn on those rockets, Ruby…”

The two front-runners entered the last curve, and then Ruby stepped on the accelerator - her stride quickening as she inched ahead of her competitor, ready to pull in front and take the lead.Weiss’ knee bounced against her will - an extension of nervous energy as the race wound to a close, the two girls rapidly approaching the finish line. 

Ruby was going to win - Weiss could feel it.She could see that Ruby had saved enough energy to edge her opponent at the very last second.

Then the unimaginable happened.

Just as Ruby exited the last bend of the track, the green-haired girl who was falling behind stuck out her foot - catching Ruby’s in mid-stride and sending her crashing to the ground at a frightening speed.The other girl stumbled from the contact before regaining her form and racing to the finish line uncontested.

Already on her feet - her hands covering her mouth in horror - Weiss watched Ruby’s teammates rush over to help her up as the rest of the runners finished the race.With her teammates’ help, Ruby slowly stood and limped off the track and towards what was hopefully a medical table off to the side of the track.Her arms and knees were covered in scrapes and bleeding freely, and she walked gingerly - like she was...hurt. 

Weiss opened her mouth to protest what happened but failed to find her voice - the words strangled in her throat before they could be heard.A vice tightened around her heart - preventing her from expressing fear or anger while her hands shook with outrage and concern.Fortunately, the furious blonde standing beside her had no such problems voicing her displeasure.

“That - that fuc - ow!”When Blake pinched Yang’s arm, Yang turned to the side in surprise.“What was that for??”

“Language…” Blake replied softly, tilting her head towards a family with small children seated nearby.Yang followed Blake’s gaze before turning back to the track and pointing angrily.

“But that fu - ouch!Ok, ok.That...that _bucking fitch_ just tripped Ruby on purpose!” 

Yang turned away from the track in disgust, running one hand through her long hair while expelling a loud breath of air through her mouth in abundant frustration.

“Shouldn’t we make sure she’s ok?” Weiss tentatively asked, knowing that she wanted to check on the extent of Ruby’s injuries as soon as possible.The idea that Ruby was in pain threatened to strangle her heart right then and there.

“It’s ok, Weiss - she’s tough, she’ll be just fine.It’s that green-haired cheater who should be worried...”Yang grumbled, unhappily sitting back down on the bleachers.

“But didn’t you see the blood?” Weiss pressed, feeling queasy at the memory.

“We’ve seen her scraped up worse than that before,” Blake reassured her while also patting a still-steaming Yang on the shoulder.

Weiss bit her lip at the responses.She wanted to make sure Ruby was ok but didn’t want to seem overly protective, especially when Yang wasn’t rushing off to check on her younger sister’s health.But Ruby was hurt - shouldn’t one of them console her?

Not knowing what to do, Weiss continued standing as she figured out what the most appropriate response was.

“If you want to go, we’ll meet you down there later.I just want to watch Penny in the next race,” Yang finally said, her anger seeming to have diffused modestly over the past few seconds.

“You mean you want to watch _Pyrrha_ in the next event,” Blake responded in a teasing tone.

“W-what?Of course not!I want to show support for Ruby’s friend!” Yang sputtered, the blush on her cheeks giving away the lie.

“Who’s Pyrrha?” Weiss asked, latching onto anything to draw her thoughts from injured Ruby.

“That fiery redhead over there,” Blake replied, pointing towards the center of the track.“She transferred, so is our age but in her last year of school.Yang has a _huge_ crush on her.”

Yang lightly slapped Blake across the shoulder at the comment.

“I don’t have a crush on her!I just...really like watching her throw…”

“Uh huh…”

“Seriously, Weiss, she can throw a javelin further than anyone I’ve ever seen.It’s like she’s a warrior princess or something.”

Blake rolled her eyes, not appearing bothered in the least by her girlfriend’s ‘crush’ on another girl.

“We should go talk to her after the races are over.Ruby says she’s really nice.”

“What??N-no!I could never - I wouldn’t know what to say!”

“Looks like Pyrrha’s hair isn’t the only thing on fire anymore,” Blake teased, playfully poking Yang in the cheek while she pouted.

Realizing that the teasing could go on for a while, Weiss decided that she could leave the two of them for a bit.At the moment, seeing Ruby was more important than waiting here.

“I’m going to check on Ruby,” Weiss admitted. 

“Cool.We’ll meet you down there in a few.”

Nodding at Yang’s response, Weiss made her way down the bleachers and headed in the direction Ruby had gone.Hopefully, the injuries were nothing serious.Hopefully, they were nothing more than surface wounds that would heal in no time.If Ruby had sprained an ankle or something...Weiss wasn’t sure what she’d do.

On her way to find Ruby, a flash of green caught Weiss’ eye.The color cause her heart to pound in anger, and she paused her quest to turn and find herself looking at the girl who’d just tripped Ruby.She was standing near the edge of the track, laughing while slapping hands with a tall, silver-haired boy who appeared to go to the same school.

Sight of the girl being so cheerful when Ruby was likely in pain made Weiss livid - far angrier than she’d been in a long time.Before she could second guess herself, she stomped over to the girl.

“What kind of person trips a competitor like that?” she demanded, not caring that the girl was several inches taller than her and had arms rippling with muscles.

“Uh - who are you?” the girl asked, quirking an eyebrow at Weiss - amused in the face of her anger.

“I’m -”

‘Weiss Schnee’ nearly slipped out of her mouth - the instinct to use her family’s name built into her very genome.But from the look this girl was currently giving her, it difficult to imagine that social status would help her cause.

“A spectator who is aghast at your lack of spirit!” Weiss finally shot back, unable to construct anything more biting under the unexpected pressure.

The girl laughed, and the tall boy joined in.

“Oh...don’t tell me you’re that loser’s girlfriend!” 

“She’s not -” Weiss snapped, her blood boiling at Ruby being referred to with such a degrading term.But the green-haired girl just grinned while cutting her off.

“You _are!_ Damn, never thought I’d see the day Ruby Rose managed to land a girl.A _real_ one too!”

“I’m not -” Weiss started to protest, but the girl’s eyes drifted past her with a sneer.

“Oh, hey Ruby - just chatting with your girlfriend here.”

“She’s a feisty one,” the boy added with a smirk.

Surprised, Weiss spun around and found Ruby standing behind her, an unreadable expression on the girl’s face.

“Come on, Weiss,” Ruby said, merely nodding in recognition of the other two before grabbing Weiss by the elbow and turning her away from the confrontation.

“It was nice meeting you!” she heard the green-haired girl call out in a sickeningly sweet tone.“And Ruby, maybe next time you can finish an event _without_ eating pavement!”

When the two started laughing, Weiss bristled and tried to turn around, only for Ruby to increase the pressure on her elbow to prevent such an action.Deciding not to resist Ruby’s direction, Weiss obediently walked away - having no idea where they were headed as they wove through spectators and competitors towards the edge of the building.

“Ruby, I -” 

Weiss’ words faltered when Ruby turned around, her expression patient and...still. 

Weiss didn’t know what to say to such a reaction - she felt like she was supposed to apologize, but she hadn’t done anything wrong.At least, she didn’t _think_ she’d done anything wrong.She’d just been trying to stick up for Ruby - to right a wrong.

“I don’t understand why you let them say those things about you,” she finally said, feeling her agitation return as the word ‘loser’ echoed in her head.If being sweet and kind-hearted made someone a loser, then everyone should strive to be one.

Ruby nodded slowly, appearing to understand where Weiss’ confusion stemmed from.

“People like Emerald and Mercury are always looking for a fight.You can’t let them get to you.”

“But she blatantly tripped you!You would have won if it wasn’t for that.”

“I know that,” Ruby replied, again with far more patience than Weiss expected.“And Emerald knows that.My coach knows, too.But there’s nothing we can do about that now.Believe me, if I thought saying something would do any good, I’d do it.But she just feeds on negative energy - it only makes her try even harder to be mean.”

“I just don’t see how you’re fine with being cheated out of winning…” Weiss muttered, knowing that she would _not_ be ok if the same thing happened to her.But Ruby just shrugged and finally smiled.

“I don’t care about winning.I just like to run!If I focused on winning all the time, I’d probably quit.”

While staring at Ruby - half in surprise, half in amazement - Weiss realized that she’d overreacted.She only thought about how _she_ would feel and now how Ruby felt.Apparently, it wasn’t a very big deal at all.

It was a mature approach to a somewhat horrible situation.

When Weiss opened her mouth to apologize, another girl suddenly rushed past and practically flung herself into Ruby’s arms for a hug - hanging on for several long seconds before pulling away and clasping both of Ruby’s hands in her own.

“Ruby!Are you ok?” the girl asked, her voice filled with concern while she carefully examining Ruby’s wounds.

“I’m fine - just a little banged up.Nothing a few days and a couple band-aids won’t fix!” Ruby responded cheerfully.

It was only then that Weiss was able to catalog the extent of Ruby’s cuts - rolls of gauze now covering scrapes on both of her knees, elbows, and a large patch on her right forearm.Thankfully, the blood was hidden, but Weiss could only imagine the bruising that would appear tomorrow.

But the new girl continued to fret over the bandages and Ruby’s health - causing Weiss’ mouth to turn with a frown.She suddenly remembered where she’d seen this girl before.It was the same orange-haired girl who’d been running with Ruby that day Weiss had lunch with Cardin.In front of the café - this was the girl Ruby gave a hug before texting Weiss.

Jealousy pricked at Weiss’ skin while she sincerely wished for the girl to let go of Ruby’s hands.The longer the two remained connected, the more territorial she began to feel - some not-so-polite words appearing in her mind.

This girl had been overly touchy-feely on that day too if Weiss remembered correctly.Maybe it was just the way she was, and nothing to get worked up about...

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?Would you like me to call a doctor to look at your wounds?”

Again with the worry.It was like this girl was in love with Ruby or something from how distressed she sounded over a few cuts and bruises…

If Ruby needed a doctor, _Weiss_ would be the one to call.Her family gave exceedingly large amounts of money to Vale’s most prominent hospitals should these situations ever occur. _She_ could provide Ruby with access to the very best doctors in Vale with a single phone call if it was necessary.

“I’ll be ok, Penny, thank you,” Ruby responded with a reassuring smile. 

When Weiss shifted between her feet, she drew Ruby’s attention back to her.

“Oh I’m sorry - I forgot you don’t know each other!” Ruby said, the words tumbling out as she rushed to correct her mistake.“Weiss, this is my friend, Penny.Penny, this is Weiss!”

Weiss couldn’t help but feel relieved when Penny finally released Ruby’s hands to shake her own.

“Oh, Weiss Schnee!Or, as Ruby says, ‘the most perfect girl in the world!’” Penny replied with a beaming smile and a firm handshake.

Caught off guard by the candor, Weiss didn’t know whether to continue being envious or to be embarrassed by the bluntly honest words. 

Shooting a glance towards Ruby, she noticed that the brunette was currently choosing the latter side of the equation - blushing while staring at the ground and saying, “Pennyyyy…I...I didn’t say it _exactly_ like that...”

“I...It’s...very nice to meet you,” Weiss stuttered in response, her own cheeks warming with the beginnings of a flush.

Silence captured their conversation - both she and Ruby looking anywhere but at each other while Penny smiled obliviously at the two of them.

“So...Penny, how did your race go?” Ruby finally asked, thankfully attempting to change the subject.

“It was sen-sational!”Penny raised both hands in the air to underscore her excitement.“I placed second.”

Weiss didn’t understand why second place elicited such a happy reply, but Ruby nodded in understanding and they moved on as if it was a non-event.

“Will you be racing again today?” Penny asked.

“Nope, coach scratched me from the last two events - I’m gonna get my stuff now to go home.”

“Good - get better soon!” Penny replied, surprisingly identifying that social cue correctly and backing away from the conversation.“It was nice to meet someone as perfect as you, Weiss Schnee!See you at practice, Ruby!”

Leaving Weiss with another blush, Penny hurried away from them.

“She seems...very friendly…” Weiss commented, her words stirring Ruby to action as she resumed her walk towards their destination - a long row of lockers with bags and discarded clothing flung everywhere.

“She’s great.”Finding a specific locker, Ruby removed her personal belongings - a worn backpack and her jacket - before slipping into a pair of track pants.“A great friend to have, even if she’s a little weird sometimes.”

Weiss nodded, but couldn’t help feeling a little jealous that Ruby had other friends who were exceptionally close to her.It made Weiss wonder how Ruby thought of her...was she a great friend, too?Or only good?

Maybe better than great?What would that make them - best friends, maybe?

No...best friends were people who’d known each other for years and years.It was impossible to form that sort of bond in such a short time.That title likely went to Penny, as much as Weiss hated to admit that.

“Are you feeling ok?” she asked as they made their way back towards the bleachers, noticing the slight limp in Ruby’s gait.

“I’ll survive.Oh, how did you know where the meet was today, anyway?” Ruby asked, suddenly very curious.

“Oh uh...Yang called me and invited me.I hope that was ok?” Weiss asked, leaving out the part about _how_ Yang had her number.She also didn’t ask what she really wanted to...mainly, why Ruby hadn’t invited her personally.

“Of course it’s ok!I’m sorry I didn’t invite you myself…”

Realizing Ruby was going to answer the question anyway, Weiss focused on the words to come.

“I just...I know sports aren’t really your thing,” Ruby explained.“I didn’t want you to feel like you _had_ to come just for me…”

The answer was a little too honest, and pain pinched at Weiss’ heart.Did Ruby really think Weiss wouldn’t come just because she didn’t watch sports?She had plenty of reasons to believe that Ruby would go wherever Weiss invited her, no matter how much interest she had in the destination.Was it unclear that Weiss would do the same?

“Ruby, I had a great time watching you run.It was...amazing.And really exciting.”

“Really?” Ruby asked in happy surprise.“If I’d known you were here, I would’ve tried a lot harder - I would’ve won for sure!Maybe even broken my personal record.”

“Then maybe next time I should make sure to sit in the front row,” Weiss teased, flattered that Ruby would show off just for her.

After giving Weiss a wide smile, Ruby glanced towards the ground.

“So, uh...does that mean you want to come to the next meet?It’s not for a few weeks - the indoor championships…”

“I’d love to.”

Weiss wasted no time answering, already knowing that she’d love to watch Ruby race again - and hopefully see a rematch with Emerald end very differently.Preferably with the green haired girl ‘eating pavement.’

Ruby smiled at the response, hopping up and down a few times before finally settling back into a limping walk.A few seconds of silence passed before she spoke again.

“You know...you’re the only one besides Yang who’s ever stood up for me like that.”

Weiss’ mouth dropped open at the disclosure, but she didn’t have the chance to respond before the aforementioned sister spotted them - the other two girls having relocated near the bottom of the stands to wait for them.

While Weiss watched in amusement, Yang rushed forward and wrapped both arms around Ruby - lifting her right off the ground while she let out a girly squeal of both embarrassment and joy.

“Ruby Roo!I was worried about you!” Yang cried out, setting her sister carefully down before taking a closer look at the bandages.

“Not worried enough to miss Pyrrha throw…” Blake added with a grin, easily sidestepping the elbow Yang sent her way.

“Can it, Tuna!” Yang ordered before turning her full attention back to her sister.“Man, she messed you up good.Do you want to go out and celebrate?”

The question instantly lit Ruby’s face with a huge smile, while Weiss felt her own fall into confusion.

“Like ice cream?”

“You got it, Rubbles!”

“What are you celebrating?” Weiss finally asked - not understanding what there was to celebrate when Ruby had been cheated out of winning and suffered injuries in the process.

“You mean what are _we_ celebrating, Princess - you’re not getting off the hook that easily,” Yang corrected her.“And Ruby’s new battle wounds, of course!”

“We actually don’t celebrate when she wins,” Blake added with a sly smile.

Still confused, Weiss looked from Blake, to Yang, to Ruby - all three girls grinning at her, clearly very pleased with their quirky tradition.

Which was just that - quirky.And a little weird.But completely...them.

“Sounds like we should find the nearest ice cream shop then,” Weiss replied with a smile that only grew when Ruby and Yang let out identical ‘whoop’s of excitement and exchanged high fives.

It was one of the most adorable exchanges Weiss ever witnessed, and she was still smiling when the four of them walked towards the exit - she and Ruby again trailing behind the two girls in front.

“It seems like you have a lot of pet names…” Weiss commented to Ruby, her words somehow overheard by the blonde ahead of them.

“Oh yeah, she totally does!” Yang responded happily.“Rubbles, Rubes, Rubsta, Roo Roo, Rooey, Rue, Kangaroo, The Stinkeroo, Rubadoo, Yang #2, El Buckaroo…”

Weiss looked at Ruby with wide eyes while Yang continued rambling off a neverending list of nicknames.Ruby laughed at Weiss’ expression while quickly slipping her arms through the sleeves of her jacket before they walked out into the cold.

“You can use any of them,” Ruby whispered in Weiss’ ear while Yang continued an ever-growing list of rhyming words, most of them dissolving into nonsense by this point.“Or make up another one!”

Being granted permission to call Ruby by a nickname felt like a special honor - one reserved only for those closest to her.But Weiss didn’t want to use one of Yang’s nicknames...she wanted something unique - special - something that was hers and hers alone…

“What about...Ruby the Rocket?” 

Laughing at the suggestion, Ruby enthusiastically nodded her head and casually threw one arm around Weiss’ shoulders - tugging her closer as they walked towards the waiting vehicle.Suddenly, it wasn’t just the frigid temperature turning her cheeks rosy pink.

“I love it!Ruby ‘the Rocket’ Rose - it makes me sound super fast _and_ incredibly dangerous!”

While they piled into the limousine, Weiss grinned - happy that Ruby reacted so favorably to what was probably a horrible suggestion for a nickname.Of course, Ruby didn’t seem to mind in the slightest - cheerfully babbling ‘Ruby the Rocket’ over and over again while Yang whined that her made-up names were cooler.

Super fast...yes, Ruby was definitely super fast.

Incredibly dangerous...well, the way Ruby made Weiss’ heart stutter step certainly didn’t _feel_ dangerous.It felt exhilarating and...right.

But maybe that was the dangerous part.


	12. Chapter 12

Weiss’ room was extraordinarily large for _any_ person, regardless of age, but today it felt too small - confining even - as she paced back and forth in front of her bed. 

The day had progressed normally until a call from the wedding caterer arrived at the end of lunch.Apparently, they were unable to source the right ingredients from Vacuo due to the neverending drought in the area and would bring in supplies from Mistral instead.The news was...very poorly received...and her mother had been in a positively foul mood ever since.Not wanting to risk being caught under the woman’s magnifying glass, she’d decided that her room was the safest place for the time being.

Of course, her room wasn’t where she _wanted_ to be right now - and she’d managed to wear a nice line into the floor while she walked quickly back and forth with her phone in hand.

It had been several days since the track meet - where she’d witnessed Ruby’s incredible running talents for the first time before the four of them had ice cream together once again.And, even though they kept in near constant communication via text messages, Weiss’ chest burned with desire to see Ruby again. 

It was a very, _very_ strong urge - strong enough that Weiss eventually conceded it wouldn’t go away until they were together again.But she couldn’t just text and say ‘I need to see you’ - she needed a legitimate reason or an invitation of some kind. 

Weiss could invite Ruby somewhere - that would be easy enough.The real question was...where?She’d already eaten dinner (having been granted permission to eat in her room, leaving her father to deal with her mother’s fury alone) and she imagined Ruby had likely eaten or would eat shortly, as well.

They could see a movie?That seemed like a harmless invitation - something friends often did - but she didn’t know anything about the films currently in theaters.

They could go out for dessert?Ruby was always willing to get ice cream...but Weiss didn’t know if _she_ could consume any more sugar right now.Inviting someone to get dessert, then refusing to partake in the invitation would be unusual and suspicious, not to mention rude.

Glancing out one of her bedroom windows, Weiss knew taking Zwei for a walk would be out of the question.The sun had nearly disappeared from the sky by this point, and the temperature at night was far too frigid for them to spend time outside.

Her family had terrific seats at the Philharmonic playing this evening, but classical music was really in Ruby’s taste. 

A sports event, maybe?

Weiss immediately discarded that idea.She knew even less about sports than she did about movies.The last thing she wanted to do was invite Ruby somewhere and then make a complete fool of herself through lack of knowledge.

It needed to be something that shouted ‘Ruby Rose’ - somewhere the girl’s inner child could be set free - somewhere loud and flashy with lots of different colors and candy.Somewhere like...

An arcade.

The idea instantly brought a grin to Weiss’ lips as she imagined Ruby running from machine to machine - the loud noises and bright lights probably over stimulating for someone with her energy level.But it was inside, it was laid back, and Ruby would love it.

It was perfect.

A quick internet search later, Weiss found the best, biggest arcade in town.It even had a cotton candy bar - she didn’t exactly know what that was, but she would make sure to buy some for Ruby.Typing up the invitation, she sent it on its way before sitting down on the edge of her bed, waiting anxiously for a response.

When her phone buzzed, she looked at it in excitement - only for disappointment to stir as she read Ruby’s reply.

_‘I’d love to!But I’m behind on final projects...i should really work on those tonight :(some other time?’_

Setting the phone down in her lap, Weiss let out a big sigh, feeling physically deflated at the prospect of waiting another day to see Ruby again. 

It really couldn’t be helped if Ruby had schoolwork to do.Regardless of her desires, Weiss couldn’t in good conscience suggest that Ruby go to an arcade over studying tonight.Of all people, Weiss knew how important it was to have a reasonable amount of time devoted to working in a quiet, studious environment...

Another idea popped into her head, and her lips curled upward as she typed a response - her last-ditch effort for instant gratification.

_‘Want to work over here?’_

Ruby had mentioned several times how noisy Blake and Yang could be.Within the confines of that small apartment, it must be tough to focus - _especially_ for someone who already seemed to lack the desire to concentrate on homework.

When her phone buzzed with Ruby’s reply, Weiss could have jumped off the bed upon reading it.

_‘Yes!Can I come over now?’_

Not only had Ruby agreed, but she sounded excited about it.That was excitement, wasn’t it?The exclamation point suggested it - then again, Ruby used exclamation points excessively.Regardless, Weiss responded with a _Yes, please_ before sending her address to Ruby - as if Ruby might’ve forgotten where Weiss lived. 

It was only then that she realized she’d just invited Ruby into her home - where she’d never voluntarily invited anyone before.Would Ruby want a tour?Would she want to see Weiss’ bedroom?

Spinning in a slow circle, Weiss’ eyes swept over every inch of the room before she nodded in satisfaction.Her room was in good order, as it always was.There wasn’t anything she should be overtly embarrassed about - other than its gargantuan size and extravagantly-priced belongings.

Making a note of the time, Weiss estimated she had twenty minutes until Ruby arrived.If she moved quickly, that was enough time to alert the head housekeeper of impending company and take a quick inventory of the essential rooms downstairs.She could inform the housekeeper right now, actually. 

Typing up a detailed explanation of her plans for the evening, Weiss sent it off to the woman before making her way out of the room.Before leaving, however, she paused by the mirror to examine her reflection.Wearing a short, white dress with stockings and a pair of black flats, she decided she looked just fine before heading off to complete her tasks.They were only going to study, after all.There was no reason to dress any fancier in her own home.If anything, she was probably overdressed as it was.

Walking through the rooms downstairs, she discovered that she had nothing to worry about.Every room was neat and clean.There wasn’t a speck of dust on any surface, and everything shone under perfectly placed lights.Even though Weiss searched for dirt or spots of embarrassment, she found none - a testament to the hard work of the many housekeepers her family employed.

The only thing she had to be embarrassed about was the excessiveness seeping from every room.But there was nothing she could do about that. 

As she passed the sitting room, she stopped when she heard voices coming from inside.After leaning an ear closer to the door, she determined that her mother had a guest over - which was perfect.That meant the woman was entertained and wouldn’t stalk around the house for the next few hours.It also meant Weiss knew just what area of the house to avoid when Ruby arrived.

Waiting in the foyer, Weiss paced back and forth in anticipation.Going to the arcade would’ve been nice because then she could leave the house, but she was fine with this arrangement.As long as she could see Ruby, she would agree to any situation.

The doorbell suddenly rang through the entryway, making Weiss jolt in surprise. Usually, the front gate was buzzed first letting them know someone had arrived, but the head housekeeper must’ve allowed Ruby through as expected company.This was what happened when Weiss never invited people over - she didn’t know the rules and procedures their hired help followed.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the startled confusion, Weiss ran both hands across her dress to smooth out any wrinkles.Then she took a deep breath and walked towards the front door - shooing away the butler who appeared to answer the bell. 

It wasn’t customary for a Schnee to personally answer the front door, but Weiss didn’t want Ruby to be greeted by some strange man.It felt like that would only further highlight the divide between the Schnee household and a ‘regular’ home.Plus...she really wanted to see Ruby.

After Weiss swung the door open, a smile instantly appeared when she found Ruby standing on the front step.It was remarkable how Ruby lifted Weiss’ spirit by doing hardly anything at all.Simply _existing_ was enough for a burst of oxygen to fill Weiss’ lungs after days of holding her breath.

“Hey, Weiss!” Ruby said with a cheerful grin.

“Ruby,” Weiss replied, motioning Ruby inside to stem the flow of frigid air into the house.“Let me take your jacket -”

Taking a guest’s jacket was something else a Schnee never did, but Ruby - being oblivious to this fact - shrugged out of her heavy winter coat and handed it to Weiss.Rushing over to the closet in the foyer, Weiss hunt the jacket on the first empty hanger she found before turning around and sparing a few seconds to take in Ruby’s appearance.

Ruby was dressed for a warm, cozy night in - wearing a dark red Vale U. track hoodie with a pair of black sweatpants.Slung over one shoulder was the strap of a worn-out black backpack that looked like it was filled with bricks, though likely just textbooks.The outfit only emphasized her athleticism, making her look like...well, kind of like a jock. Personally, Weiss could never pull off that look, but it was attractive on Ruby - just another side of her discovered.

Reminding herself that it was rude to stare, Weiss coughed once and focused on starting a conversation instead.

“Did Yang drop you off?” 

“Oh, yeah,” Ruby answered, looking inexplicably embarrassed by the harmless question.“And uh...she told me to tell you ‘hello.’”

Weiss’ eyes narrowed at the suspicious response. 

She’d been forced to attend more than enough business dinners to recognize a polite fib when she heard one.And, she may have only met Yang twice, but _once_ was more than enough to know that she would have much more to say than a simple ‘hello.’

“What else did she say?” Weiss prodded.Ruby immediately flushed - knowing her attempted cover-up had been discovered.

“I don’t want to say…”

“Oh come on, you can tell me,” Weiss said, throwing in a reassuring smile for good measure.The last thing she wanted was for Ruby to hide things in order to protect her feelings.No matter how crazy they might be, she could handle them.

Maybe.

“Ok, fine…” Ruby replied, puffing out her cheeks before reluctantly continuing.“She said, ‘Ask Weiss how long it’d take for Blake and me to do it in every room.’”

Weiss’ cheeks instantly warmed as she let out an unexpected laugh at the ridiculous question - causing a passing housekeeper to stop and stare at the out-of-place sound.But Weiss ignored the woman, far too focused on the embarrassed Ruby Rose standing in front of her.

“Remind me never to invite them inside,” she said, her words earning a grin from Ruby.

“Or at least don’t let them out of your sight!” 

They both laughed - knowing that Yang would absolutely try a stunt like that.Weiss could only wonder how Yang convinced Blake to go along with such things.Blake seemed so...level-headed...

Deciding some mysteries shouldn’t be thought about too deeply, Weiss refocused on the girl she’d been dying to see for the last few days.

“Would you like a quick tour?” she offered, waving a hand.“Or should you get right to working?”

“Uh...how long would ‘quick’ be in this place?”

Weiss had to stop and think about that question - wondering how long it would take to make it through all the rooms.Since she’d never shown anyone around before, it was impossible for her to know.But there were a _lot_ of rooms.

“How about just my favorites?” she asked in return.Receiving a nod of approval, she set off on their much-abbreviated tour with Ruby in tow.There were only a couple rooms in the house Weiss was fond of, so a shortened tour wouldn’t take long at all. 

Of course, they had to take the long way around to avoid Weiss’ mother at all costs.It wasn’t that Weiss didn’t want to introduce Ruby to her mother...she didn’t want to introduce her mother to Ruby.

“So glad you invited me over,” Ruby commented as they walked towards the back of the house.“Blake and Yang were driving me crazy.”

“What were they doing?” 

“Blake was trying to make Yang clean.It wasn’t going very well.”

Chuckling at the image, Weiss paused by an enormous pair of double doors and met Ruby’s eyes.“There’s one thing I really love about this room,” she said before pulling open one of the doors.“Try to figure it out?”

Stepping into the large banquet hall, Ruby immediately gasped in awe.The room was a vast open space they used to host all kinds of Schnee events - be it company related or otherwise.While not a fan of the actual events, Weiss was a big fan of the room - for one reason.

“Wowwww look at the ceiling!”

Weiss smiled at the words, which was just what she’d hoped Ruby would say.

The ceiling of the banquet hall was constructed out of the most magnificent stained glass Weiss had ever laid eyes upon.It wasn’t a mosaic, per se, but she’d spent many days as a child lying in the middle of the floor, looking up and trying to pick out different colors and patterns that appeared to create images.Because ‘Schnees don’t lie on _grass_ ,’ this had been her own version of lying down outside and looking up at the clouds. 

It was more difficult to see the room’s true beauty at night, but during the daytime - with the sunlight filtering through - there was no more beautiful stained glass masterpiece in the world.

When Ruby suddenly laid down on the floor, Weiss watched in surprise.

“What are you doing?” 

“Look - Weiss!There’s totally pictures up there!”Ruby pointed up to the ceiling and grinned.“Let’s see...oh!There’s a rabbit!”

Looking up, Weiss quickly spotted the rabbit.It was the same rabbit she’d located so many times in the past.

“And there’s a fox…” Ruby mused, narrowing her eyes while continuing her search.“Oh!And another fox.And there’s a snail!”

“A snail?”Stepping closer to Ruby, Weiss looked up at the ceiling and tried to spot a snail. 

“It’s right there!” Ruby said, pointing up from the ground.“If you look at the blue fox, then slightlyyyy down and to the right.”

Quickly finding the fox, Weiss followed Ruby’s directions and...well, how many times had she been in here and never noticed that snail?

“That’s a new one,” Weiss admitted while Ruby scrambled to her feet.

“This place is cool!I can imagine you having really big parties and stuff - people in fancy clothes dancing to an orchestra or something.”

Ruby wasn’t far off with her imagined party.The guests often wore very fancy clothing, and there was usually a partial orchestra.

“If you’re interested in an orchestra…” Weiss began, motioning Ruby after her.“Then maybe you’ll like this next room.”

Leaving the banquet hall behind, they made their way down one of the hallways before stopping at another large doorway.Pulling the handle and opening the door, Weiss smiled when Ruby’s jaw dropped in amazement.

“You have an orchestra!” Ruby said while walking into the music room.

“I believe an orchestra needs musicians,” Weiss teasingly pointed out.“But we have many of the right instruments.”

Spotting the piano on one side of the room, Ruby gasped.

“Weiss!Can you play for me??”

Caught off guard, Weiss immediately balked at the request.

“Well…” she began, unsure of how to politely decline.She was far too embarrassed to play the only tune in her head - a song so noticeably affectionate, even someone unaccustomed to listening to piano would be able to pick it out.“How about some other time?” she offered.“When you don’t have work to do.”

For a second, it looked like Ruby wanted to press the issue.Instead, she nodded with a smile.

“But _promise_ you’ll play the next time I come over?I’ll make sure I have zero work to do!”

“I promise,” Weiss readily agreed.With more preparation, she could think of a set piece to play- that would be much less embarrassing.

“I’m gonna hold you to that.”As Ruby grinned, her eyes drifted around the room one more time.“Makes me wish I could play an instrument!”

“You can always learn,” Weiss pointed out while moving towards the door.

“Eh...pretty sure I should stick to what I know - running!”

“Well if you ever _want_ to learn…” Weiss began to offer, drawing a curious gaze her way.

“You’ll teach me??”

“Sure.I can try, at least.I’m not very skilled with the other instruments, but I can certainly teach you some piano.”

Ruby’s blinding grin was too much at the moment, and Weiss turned away while opening the door across the hall.“And if you ever want to play billiards,” she added, hoping the room filled with several pool tables and other table games would move the conversation forward.

Instead, Ruby merely ducked her head into the room while still standing in the hall with Weiss.

“And if you ever wanted to learn how to run, I can teach you!”

Weiss laughed at the idea of participating in any type of sport.She’d never been the most athletic person, but she nodded along regardless.

“That sounds like a deal.Then we’ll each be out of our comfort zones.”Weiss could already feel her embarrassment growing at the thought of running in front of Ruby, but if Ruby was willing to try an instrument, it seemed only fair that Weiss try something new as well.

“Should we go to the study room now?” Weiss suggested.The ‘study room’ was actually a full library, but she didn’t want to sound pretentious by calling it such.

“Uh...aren’t you forgetting something?”

The question caught her by surprise, and Weiss racked her brain in search of what she’d ‘forgotten.’How could she have possibly forgotten anything when she was the one picking the rooms they would see?

It was only the size of Ruby’s grin that clued Weiss in.

“My room?”

“Your room!” Ruby said, before clasping her hands together in a pleading gesture, blinking those big silver eyes oh-so-innocently.“Pleaseeee?”

Like Weiss stood a chance in hell of saying ‘no’ to that…

“Ok, but really quick,” she replied, hiding her grin at the tiny ‘whippee!’ Ruby let out.Leading Ruby upstairs and down the hall, Weiss gently pushed open the door to her room and walked inside.

“This is it…” she said, watching Ruby’s eyes look around in amazement - the girl showing far more interest in this room than any of the previous ones.

When Ruby spotted the bed, she squealed with joy.Before Weiss understood what was happening, Ruby dropped her bag on the floor, raced across the room, and leaped through the air before landing on the bed with a soft ‘oomph.’The piles of expensive covers puffed up upon impact, nearly swallowing Ruby whole.

“It’s so fluffy!!” came Ruby’s voice from inside the mountain of covers, while Weiss continued to stare in surprise.If someone had asked her to come up for a hundred different scenarios for this moment, not one of them would include Ruby immediately jumping onto the bed.Of course, maybe she should’ve seen this coming - the comforters did look awfully enticing.

Laughing joyfully, Ruby laid there for a few more seconds before hopping off and rejoining Weiss - looking immensely happy with what just occurred.

At least, Ruby _was_ happy - until she turned around and saw the bed.

“Oh, sorry I messed it up!” 

Before Ruby could rush over to straighten the covers, Weiss reached out and grabbed Ruby’s hand to stop her.

“Don’t worry about it,” Weiss said, dropping Ruby’s hand as if it were on fire when she realized she was holding it a little too familiarly.

“Are you sure?It was all pretty before…”

“I think I can live with indented covers,” she replied, making Ruby laugh.

“I don’t know about that...you didn’t see your face!”

“I didn’t make a face!” she refuted, her cheeks flushing while Ruby chuckled at her.

“Uh huhhh you did!It was like -”Trying to show Weiss exactly what happened, Ruby twisted her features into an expression of both horror and surprise.It looked so ridiculous that Weiss laughed and lightly slapped Ruby on the shoulder.

“I did _not_ look like that.”

“Ok, maybe not _exactly_ like that, but pretty close!”

They both laughed this time as Ruby reached down to reclaim her backpack.

“Well, I understand why you want to keep a Ruby imprint in your bed,” Ruby teased with a grin, deepening Weiss’ blush as she thought of all of the reasons she wanted to keep it.As a reminder that Ruby had been here - in her room, on her bed - was the most obvious one.And the covers probably smelled like Ruby now -

“So…” Weiss said, tearing her mind and eyes away from her bed.“Should we get to work now?”

Ruby laughed at the clear avoidance of the subject, but shrugged and said: “Sure, lead the way!”

Heading back downstairs, Weiss led Ruby through a maze of hallways before they reached the double doors of the Schnee family library.Pushing both doors inward at once, she smiled when Ruby sucked in a breath in awe.

Like everything else in the house, the library was oversized, with high ceilings and large windows dotting the outside wall.But, unlike most other rooms in the home, Weiss actually had a say in what went in here - likely because neither her mother nor father set foot through the threshold unless it was to find her. 

The end result was bookcase after bookcase filled with priceless first editions and dime store novels alike.Literary works of art, biographies, journals, encyclopedias...books of poetry, books on religion, science fiction...there was a home for anything and everything in here. 

“Woahhh...it’s so _quiet_ ,” Ruby whispered.

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you have to whisper,” Weiss replied in her own whisper, smiling over at Ruby.

“Blake would _love_ this,” Ruby continued just as quietly.“Like, really _really_ love this.She could probably live in here!”

“As long as she doesn’t bring Yang with her.”

“Oh, yeah.Yang’s _horrible_ in libraries.All she does is whisper and distract Blake from reading,” Ruby replied in a hushed voice before looking around the room once more.“Where can I sit?”

Smiling at the continued use of whispering, Weiss pointed towards the lone table in the room - a large, wooden, rectangular table that was merely an expensive copy of what standard libraries used.Following Weiss’ direction, Ruby walked over to their destination - tiptoeing across the ground and trying not to make any noise.

“Ruby -”

Even though Weiss said the name in a reasonable volume, she flinched at how loud her voice sounded in the quiet room.

“Ruby, you don’t have to be quiet,” she said in a hushed voice while following the girl to the table.

“I can’t help it - it’s a library!”

When Ruby giggled softly, Weiss playfully rolled her eyes.

“Sorry, I’ll try not to whisper!” Ruby added, still in nothing above a hush.Shaking her head, Weiss decided to give up on this particular argument for the time being.

“I’m -”She sighed and lowered her voice again, much to Ruby’s amusement.“I’m going to read over there - let me know if you need anything.”

Nodding, Ruby set her bag down and began unpacking items, still as quietly as possible.Trying to give her space to work in peace, Weiss picked one of the reading chairs to sit in - albeit one where she was facing Ruby and could watch her settle in.Ruby picked the same seat Weiss had used for her own schoolwork years ago, which made her pleased in a strange, happy way. 

Satisfied that Ruby was getting to work, Weiss picked up the book she’d been reading for the past several days but hadn’t even looked at a page before she heard the library door open and close.Turning towards the noise, she relaxed back into the chair when she found that it was only one of the maids carrying a round, silver tray weighed down by two glasses of water and a multitude of dishes filled with various homemade delicacies.

Without saying a word, Weiss directed the maid over to the table with nothing more than her eyes.The woman obediently walked over and unloaded the snacks and one glass in front of Ruby - who stared at the food with wide eyes.The second glass was set delicately on the small table near Weiss’ chair.

“Would you like anything else, Miss?” the woman asked in a whisper.After Weiss shook her head ‘no,’ the woman disappeared just as quietly as she’d appeared.

Glancing across the room to Ruby, Weiss found the girl struggling to hold in her laughter.

“Shut up,” she said playfully, unperturbed that Ruby had just been proven right in her inclination to whisper in this room. 

Ruby dissolved into giggles at the response while turning her attention back to the pages laid out in front of her - but not before grabbing one of the snacks and popping it into her mouth, letting out a happy little chirp in the process.

With silence returning to the room, Weiss attempted to read the book in her hands but found her eyes drifting overtop of the page every few seconds - watching Ruby at work.Usually a quick reader, full minutes slipped away before Weiss made it to the bottom of one page - and after turning to the next, she’d already forgotten what she’d just read.

In Weiss’ defense, Ruby was incredibly distracting.She tapped a pen against her lip, drummed her fingers on the table, ran her hand through her hair...all while her left knee refused to stop jittering.It was easy to see why she might be behind on her work - Weiss would honestly be surprised if Ruby got any work done tonight, even in this studious place.

Worst of all, Weiss couldn’t tell if this was normal behavior or if something was making Ruby particularly nervous or excitable.It could be the new environment - being in a strange place wouldn’t help Weiss study.Or maybe Ruby had eaten a lot of sugar...but that wouldn’t be anything new.Maybe she hadn’t eaten _enough_ sugar?

Or maybe it was...Weiss? 

A tiny part of her wanted to believe that Ruby just wanted to talk to her, but was doing all she could to focus on schoolwork instead - the effort escaping in a variety of squirms and fidgets.

After a short while, Ruby finally broke the silence with a huge sigh, pushing away the paper lying in front of her.Weiss immediately took that as her cue to say something. 

“Doing ok?”

“No…” Ruby replied, her voice nearly a whine as pleading silver eyes met Weiss’.“History of Vale is so boringgggg.”

The exaggerated suffering was just pretend - Weiss knew that, but it still made her feel horrible for the girl.Luckily for Ruby, Weiss just so happened to enjoy history quite a bit.

“Is that what you’re writing?” Weiss asked.

“Editing, yeah,” Ruby answered, holding up the paper before letting it fall back to the table in defeat.

“...do you want some help?”

The pleading look instantly disappeared as Ruby’s eyes widened, shining with newfound excitement.

“Could you??That’d be awesome!”

Discarding her unread book, Weiss stood and walked over to the seat right beside Ruby.As Weiss sat down, Ruby slid the paper over to her along with a pen - the same pen that had just been in Ruby’s mouth.Weiss picked it up without hesitation, but she would _never_ do that with _anyone_ else.

“I can start my other paper while you do that!” Ruby said, leaning over to pull more books from the backpack on the floor.

While Ruby moved on to the next assignment, Weiss read the first paragraph.Reaching the end, she bit her lip and shot an unnoticed glance to her right.Holding the pen tip right above the paper, she wrote nothing.She reread the paragraph, feeling her brow furrow in anguish.

She couldn’t decide what to do.She didn’t want to rip apart something Ruby had spent a lot of time working on...but she also didn’t want to fail in her task of editing.

Opening her mouth to say something, she closed it without a word.

“You can change whatever you want, you know.” 

Looking over in surprise, Weiss found Ruby grinning at her - having witnessed the latter part of her internal conflict. 

“I know it’s a mess.”

“No, it’s -”The lie disappeared when Ruby giggled.Instead, Weiss smiled and said, “It’s not _that_ bad - I just think it could be better.”

Ruby gestured happily down to the paper. 

“Have at it!”

With permission granted, Weiss set about making changes - the pen flying over the words as she arranged and rearranged the structure.Laughing again, Ruby leaned over and gently nudged Weiss’ shoulder before continuing her own work.

They worked like that for quite some time, with Ruby occasionally leaning over Weiss’ shoulder to read what she was writing - the girl’s warm breath tickling the back of her neck and scattering whatever sentence she was working on in that instant.

From this distance, Ruby’s bouncing knee seemed to move at twice the normal speed.At one point, Weiss rested her hand on Ruby’s leg in an effort to keep it from moving - only to succeed in making the other one start hopping up and down.Regardless, she loved keeping Ruby company...or was Ruby keeping her company?Either way, even when they weren’t talking, she felt comfortable and at peace. 

Just being in the same space together was so simple...so easy...they could easily be two ordinary college students studying at one of Vale University’s libraries - not a college student and an heiress studying in a huge mansion.

It was the most enjoyable night she’d had in her own home in quite some time.

Unfortunately, the night had to end at some point.That time came hours later after Weiss put the finishing touches on the history of Vale paper, and Ruby had made substantial progress on the political factions paper she’d just started.

When Ruby suddenly yawned, Weiss couldn’t prevent herself from yawning in return.Ruby promptly threw her pen on the table and leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms high above her head - high enough for her hoodie to tug the underlying shirt up and expose her bare midriff.

Turning away, face ablaze, Weiss stared down at the paper she’d just finished before sliding it over to Ruby.

“I made...a few suggestions.”

Ruby laughed while picking up the paper, but didn’t comment on the pages covered in edits - the margins eaten up by Weiss’ small, neat handwriting.

“Thank you so much, Weiss!You’re the absolute best,” Ruby said instead as she slipped the paper back into her bag along with her other items.After zipping up the pack, she slumped in her seat. 

“Ugh...I should probably have Yang come get me now, huh.”

“You don’t have to.I can have someone take you -”Weiss paused to hide another yawn behind her hand, which made Ruby giggle.

“Is it past someone’s bedtime?” Ruby teased, poking Weiss gently in the side and making her grin as she squirmed away.

It _was_ later than she usually stayed awake, but she didn’t want to close her eyes and have the night be over - with Ruby gone once again.It would be worth being tired in the morning.

“Let me have someone take you home,” Weiss insisted, standing from the table while Ruby did the same.“Please?It will make me feel better.”

“Okkkk...but only because I don’t want to hear Yang say anything else about ‘doing it’ in your house.”

Ruby gave an exaggerated shudder, making Weiss laugh while she led Ruby towards the front door.Once they arrived in the entryway, she used the phone placed near one wall to request a driver right away - there was at least one driver somewhere on the property at all times, so they wouldn’t need to wait very long.

“Thanks for inviting me over tonight,” Ruby said, capturing Weiss attention once more.“That was the most fun I’ve had doing homework in...well, ever.”

“Thank you for coming over,” she replied, silently wondering just how long this Ruby fix would last this time.Their get-togethers seemed to provide less and less of a sieve for her to survive on, which was alarming and painful at the same time.

“You know, maybe we should -”

Weiss’ voice failed her when her mother walked out of the room right beside where they were standing - the woman’s icy blue eyes locking onto Ruby immediately.

“Weiss, I didn’t know you had company,” her mother said, taking one long look at Ruby before turning away, her nose wrinkling ever so slightly in distaste.

“Y-yes, this is Ruby.Ruby, this is my mother…” Weiss quickly said, watching anxiously as Ruby stuck out her hand in greeting.

“It’s nice to meet you!” she chirped, thankfully blind to the displeasure in the woman’s demeanor as they shook hands.

“Likewise…” Weiss’ mother replied coldly before turning to walk up the stairs to the second level - but not before pausing and shooting one last look at Weiss.“And Weiss, please control those stutters of yours.”

Weiss’ face immediately heated up in humiliation and anger, and she ground her molars together while trying to maintain her composure.

What horrible luck did she have, that her mother would be awake at this hour?It must be one of the nights her father ‘stayed late at the office’...those were the only times the woman would pace restlessly around the house for hours on end…but to scold Weiss in front of company...

A soft hand wrapped tenderly around her own, tugging her mind back out of the dark cloud it was drifting under.When she turned, Ruby gave a timid smile, her eyes apologizing for what had just happened even though it hadn’t been her fault.

“I don’t think you stutter…” Ruby whispered.“Not any more than a normal person, at least.”

Without warning, Weiss felt a smile reappear - once again comforted by Ruby’s steadfast acceptance of her as a ‘normal’ person...stutters and all.Her ‘flaws’ could be pointed out right in front of Ruby’s face, and she never flinched.

Somehow, Ruby liked Weiss regardless of all that.

Lost in her thoughts, she was surprised when Ruby suddenly blushed.It was only then that she realized they were still holding hands.Or, more like, she was grasping Ruby’s hand firmly - absorbing some of Ruby’s strength as her own.

Quickly separating their fingers, Weiss clasped her hands in front of her, silently cursing them for having acted on their own free will.

“H-hey, your ride is probably out front by now,” she said, her fingers tingling as her skin mourned the absence of Ruby’s warm hand.

Ruby giggled as they walked to the front door.

“I change my answer,” she said as Weiss opened the door for her.“I love it when you stutter.”

Ruby then wrapped Weiss in an unexpected hug, squeezing tightly before releasing her with a short giggle and adorable little wave before racing down the front steps.If it was cold outside, it was impossible to tell while watching Ruby leap into the waiting vehicle, leaving the scent of roses hanging in the air behind her.

Only after closing the door did Weiss realize that Ruby had just run outside without her jacket, which was still hanging safely in the coat closet.Shaking her head at Ruby’s propensity to run out into the cold without adequate clothing, Weiss collected the jacket herself - not wanting anyone to mistakenly (or purposefully) get rid it.

With a smile, she made her way up to her room while holding the treasured item and already reminiscing on the night they’d shared together.It was only when she’d stepped through the door and saw the covers on her bed that she felt the weight of longing settle back upon her heart.It was the same feeling that had driven her to invite Ruby here, to begin with.

How long had they been apart this time - a minute?Even less?How was it possible that Weiss already missed her?


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning began a little later than usual - the unfortunate consequence of staying up too late the night before.Thankfully, by some form of divine intervention, Weiss was miraculously afforded the luxury of sleeping in rather than waking at her usual time. 

When she finally woke up, she was in a superb mood - still on a high after Ruby’s visit the night before.As a testament to her happy spirits, she caught herself humming a joyful tune while making the bed this morning - the very bed Ruby had jumped onto last night.The sense of longing was still there - firmly set in place around Weiss’ heart - but she was able to maneuver around it.She was able to be happy with what had already occurred while eagerly looking forward to what was to come.She knew that, if she was patient, she would see Ruby again. 

As a bonus, she was extremely pleased with the changes she’d made to Ruby’s paper last night.She might’ve gone a bit overboard making sure it was perfect, but that was only because she wanted to make sure Ruby did well.Now, Weiss couldn’t wait to learn what grade Ruby received - because it should be an ‘A.’If it _wasn’t_ an ‘A,’ Weiss might need to know the name of the professor teaching that course...

After making her bed - taking care to fold in the covers and situate the pillows with the edges just touching - she prepared herself for the day as usual.Taking a shower, brushing her hair, picking out a nice and hopefully somewhat comfortable outfit…it was a lot of effort expended for a day during which she had no plans, but such was her life. 

Until one of her parents needed her for something, she was free to do as she wished.Shopping, attending a play...as long as it was socially acceptable for her to be seen partaking in the activity, she was allowed to do it in her spare time.If another duty was assigned to her, however, it immediately became priority number one - and she would be forced to drop whatever she was doing to see it done.

With nothing currently pending, she could pick up the book she’d attempted to read last night and see if it was _actually_ too dull to follow, or if Ruby’s presence had just been that much more enthralling.She could exchange messages with Ruby at the same time, which sounded like an excellent way to start her day.

Making her way to the kitchen to request something for breakfast, Weiss was only halfway down the staircase when the front door opened and her father strode purposefully inside.From his appearance, he must not have come home last night - still dressed in yesterday’s suit and in dire need of a shave.But, clean-shaven or not, his no-nonsense demeanor said he meant business this morning.

In general, her father had two modes.There was ‘father’ mode, where he treated her like a child - offering to buy her ponies or expensive dolls from Atlas.And there was ‘business’ mode, where he treated her as nothing more than a chess piece - with the coldhearted calculation of a businessman making decisions based on dollars instead of feelings. 

Honestly, Weiss didn’t like either version of the man very much, but business mode was usually more difficult to weather.She didn’t appreciate being treated like a pawn...

“Weiss, I need you to have lunch with our newly elected _mayor_.I promised his office a meeting with a Schnee, didn’t promise which one.”

He didn’t so much as pause his actions while issuing the order, taking off his coat and throwing it to the butler who miraculously appeared to catch it before it hit the ground.

Weiss’ initial reaction was to ask why.Why was she the one sent to lunch with one of Vale’s most powerful officials?Why would her father agree to lunch when he never intended to go?Why was she involved in this situation at all? 

Fortunately, she’d learned to prevent such knee-jerk questions from leaving her mouth.If she put more thought into it - slipping in her father’s too large and too cruel shoes - she already knew the reasons why she was being sent in his place. 

The most recent election had been highly contentious, and the outcome widely debated throughout Vale.While Weiss stayed away from politics for this very reason, she knew that people were either happy or horrified by the result, with no in between. 

Even worse, the victor committed a substantial breach of etiquette by not contacting her father on the night of the announcement.The newly-elected mayor _always_ called the head of the Schnee family to thank them for their support - whether or not they’d given it.By not calling, the new mayor suggested that he didn’t _need_ or _want_ their support. 

Blood ran in the water that night, but now her father was flexing his political might in return.Sending his daughter - who wasn’t even in consideration for a future position in the company - was a slap in the face.It was also clear message that the new government would now need to work doubly hard to earn her family’s allegiance.

Weiss knew much, much better than to argue with this posturing nonsense.In this house, her father’s word was law.Not even her mother dared question his decisions.

“When?” was all she asked instead.

“Tomorrow.Jezebel will email you the information.”

With those parting words, he brushed past her on the way to his bedroom, their ‘business’ clearly done.There was no ‘good morning’ or ‘how are you doing?’ or ‘any plans today?’ to be found.But why would he ask any of those questions when he didn’t care?In business mode, all he cared about was that she did as he told her to - without questions or complaints.

It was moments like these when she realized just how much her life was not her own.How the semblance of freedom and independence was nothing more than a mirage - a fantasy that could be taken away from her without a moment’s notice.

It was the life she’d been forced to accept long ago.

With tomorrow’s task assigned to her, she turned her gaze away from the wall she’d been staring at for the past few moments.Deciding to forgo food for the time being, she made her way to the library instead - a potentially-doomed effort to feel whatever trace of Ruby was left in the room.

The mayor was in for a shock tomorrow when Weiss arrived in her father’s place.He probably wanted to discuss business, which was the last thing she could do.Ultimately, she held no power in the matters of their family’s business operations.It wasn’t that she was incapable - she was confident that she could navigate those waters if given the opportunity - but she wasn’t the one chosen to lead the company after her father. 

The responsibility to lead the Schnee conglomerate had always been placed solely upon the men in the family.This was just another reason why Weiss’ marriage to Cardin was so important.Right now, her family effectively had no heir to the corporation - the behemoth money printing machine many men would kill each other for the opportunity to run.With no male child, there was no clear successor if she didn’t marry.

Once they were married, Cardin became first-in-line after Weiss’ father.And, while she had zero confidence Cardin would be able to handle the responsibility, well...that wasn’t her decision to make.If things were different, maybe she would’ve been given the opportunity to at least try.Unfortunately, her gender precluded her.

As she walked through the library doors, ringing startled her out of her thought - the loud sound shattering the silence in the giant, still room.Pulling out her phone and glancing at the screen, she was immediately concerned when she saw the name displayed there.

Why was Ruby calling so early on a weekday?

“Hello?” Weiss said, speaking before the phone was even to her ear.“Ruby?”

It was hard to keep the worry out of her voice as she stood just inside the library door, her brow furrowed as her mind raced with possible grounds for the call.Had something happened?Was Ruby hurt?Stranded somewhere and in need of a way home?

“Hey Weiss!How’re you doing?”

Ruby’s voice was cheerful and more awake than Weiss’ would’ve expected, but still didn’t answer the question of why she’d received a phone call instead of their customary ‘good morning’ text message.

“Fine...but are you ok?” Weiss pressed.

“Yeah, why?I don’t sound ok?”

“No, I was just…curious.”

When Ruby laughed, Weiss blushed - understand now that Ruby had called just to talk, no emergency or hidden agenda attached.For whatever reason, that realization filled Weiss’ stomach with inexplicable butterflies.

“My bed is soooo uncomfortable compared to yours!” Ruby whined - the image of a cute, pouting face immediately appearing in Weiss’ head.“Seriously, it’s like sleeping on rocks or something!”

“Well, you’re welcome to mine anytime.”

The words had already left Weiss’ mouth before she realized how they sounded - her brain far too occupied picturing Ruby pouting to register the comment as anything other than a friendly offer.

“I-I mean, you can stay there and I’ll - I’ll stay in one of the guest rooms,” she quickly tried to cover up, her cheeks growing warmer and warmer in mortification.But Ruby was already laughing giddily at the offer.

“Sounds like you just invited me into your bed, Weiss!” Ruby managed to spit out between giggles.

It was extremely fortunate they were on the phone right now.Otherwise, Ruby would see Weiss’ face turn the darkest shade of red it had _ever_ been.

“I, um…”

Having no clue what she could say to make this better, she coughed lightly into one hand and struggled to find a change of subject.Fortunately, her mind chose that moment to remember the reason _why_ Ruby never called this early.

“Wait, aren’t you supposed to be in class right now?”

The retort immediately cut off Ruby’s laughter.

“Well…you see...”

“Ruby Rose,” Weiss said, seeing exactly where this was headed.“You know you shouldn’t skip classes.”

Somehow, she kept her voice stern even though she was smiling - picturing Ruby squirming under the sudden scolding.

“But I finished so much work yesterday that I didn’t feel like it!And everyone skips _sometimes -_ it’s not a big deal!”

“It _will_ be a big deal when your sister stuffs you in a trash can again.”

When Ruby burst out laughing, Weiss quickly followed suit - unable to channel a serious demeanor any longer.

“God, I can’t believe she told you that…”

“I’m so glad she did,” Weiss replied with a smile, recalling how happily Yang had recounted that little tale and how horrified Ruby had been when she realized Weiss knew of it.

“She talks _way_ too much,” Ruby grumbled before their conversation lapsed into a few seconds of comfortable silence - both of them likely grinning like idiots into their phones.

“Anywayyyy…” Ruby continued after not too long.“I was wonderinggg if you wanted to get dinner with me tonight.There’s this greasy-looking taco place with this like, really big, swanky bear statue out front.I’ve wanted to try it _forever_ , but Yang keeps saying there’s ‘only one thing in the world worth getting that sick eating.’Whatever that means…”

There was so much to process in those few sentences.So many questions to ask - and to avoid - but Weiss focused on the most relevant first.

“Swanky bear?Like...a teddy bear or a real bear?”

“A teddy bear!”

“I think we have different definitions of ‘swanky’...” Weiss replied, smiling when Ruby dissolved into more laughter.

“But a _real_ bear would be swanky??”

“Real bears are _very_ swanky,” Weiss replied straight-faced, but immediately lost the expression when Ruby laughed even harder.

“Ok, ok, so it’s just a regular, not swanky, bear statue,” Ruby finally said after collecting herself.“But will you go with me?Pleaseee?”

A big, swanky bear statue outside a greasy taco place - which was likely the birthplace of food poisoning - was a horrible way to sell a restaurant.But...greasy taco place, swanky bear statue, food poisoning, _and_ a certain bubbly brunette...

“Sure, I’ll go,” Weiss replied, allowing Ruby to let out her loud cheer before continuing.“ _But_ , if it looks too sketchy, I’m not eating anything.”

“Fair enough!” Ruby agreed.“Want to meet me here around six?”

“Absolutely.”

“Yes!You totally won’t regret it, Weiss!I’ll see you then!”

“I certainly hope not...see you soon.”

After hanging up, Weiss stared at the phone with a small smile, wondering what she’d gotten herself into this time.It didn’t matter though.As long as Ruby was there, they would have a wonderful time.

Glancing at the time, Weiss found that dinner wasn’t far off...if she lied to herself.It was almost an entire day away, but she would get to see Ruby again - which was _never_ a bad thing as far as she was concerned.

Finally coming out of her Ruby-induced daze, Weiss looked around the library and couldn’t remember what she’d even come here for.It was only after she spotted the discarded book lying upon the table that she remembered her quest.Quickly collecting the item, she made her way out of the room while wearing a smile. 

Book in hand, she decided that now she would be able to eat - her mood significantly lifted by her evening plans with Ruby.Humming quietly to herself, she took the back way to the kitchen - the path that wound through the dining room versus walking all the way back to the foyer. 

Once she walked into the dining room, she deposited the book on the table - to be read during her meal - and continued towards the opposite doorway to find one of the kitchen staff.And, as misfortune would have it, her mother walked through that very door as she walked towards it.

Sight of the woman instantly halted the happy tune Weiss had been humming as she ducked her head in deference.

“Good morning,” she said, forcing her voice out clear and crisp so as not to be scolded.

Receiving nothing more than a curt nod in response, Weiss continued walking while the woman took her usual seat at the dining room table, sipping at the steaming cup of coffee held in her hands.

It didn’t look like her mother got very much sleep last night, but that was of little concern to her.In fact, she wouldn’t care if the woman hadn’t slept a wink - that’s how upset Weiss was with the dismissiveness Ruby had been shown last night.

Maybe Ruby’s childish and carefree nature couldn’t win over someone so solely focused on appearances, but she was still a _guest_ in their home.There was absolutely no reason to be rude.

“Weiss.”

Weiss froze at the sound of her name, forcing a smile onto her lips before turning around.

“Yes?”

“We’re having dinner early tonight in order to accommodate your father’s...business meeting.”

“Oh, I actually have plans for dinner tonight,” she replied, breathing a sigh of relief that she’d miss another tense meal between her parents.“Please eat without me.”

Resuming her walk towards the kitchen doors, Weiss decided that breakfast wasn’t in the cards today.But, right before she was free and clear, her mother spoke up again.

“Hopefully not with that girl I met last night.”

From the cold tone, Weiss knew she should keep walking.She knew she should _run_ through the door to the kitchen.If the comment had been directed at anyone else, she might have.

But she made the ultimate mistake instead - turning back towards the woman to engage.

“What’s wrong with Ruby?”

Weiss watched her mother trace one perfectly manicured finger along the rim of her coffee mug, appearing to be deep in thought about the forthcoming answer.

“Well, she seems like a very...quaint...girl, but you can find more useful acquaintances.”

Acquaintances.That’s all Weiss ever had in her life - acquaintances and connections and any other word that meant people to be _used_ , not befriended.Because if she couldn’t use someone for personal gain, why waste her precious time?

“She’s my friend,” Weiss said firmly, understanding that this would be a constant issue unless she convinced her mother to accept the term. 

“If you want _friends_ ,” her mother replied, using the word with disdain.“Then your father and I can arrange for more suitable companions.”

“I don’t want your help.”

Weiss knew the words were bold and immediately feared retribution when her mother stopped tracing the edge of her mug.Cold blue eyes locked onto hers, sending a chill down her spine that was only the beginning of what was to come.

“Clearly you need it.How else would you end up befriending someone so obviously beneath you?”

“Because she doesn’t come from money, she’s beneath me?” Weiss retorted.She hated the idea that money marked a person’s worth.That, simply because her family had more money, she was _above_ Ruby - and therefore they couldn’t be friends.

“Please...she’s going to Vale University?She can’t even _pretend_ to have money,” her mother replied in a scathing tone.“She’s more fit to be one of the _help_ than your acquaintance.”

The woman could have said the same thing about anyone else - literally anyone else in the world - and Weiss wouldn’t care.But her mother chose _Ruby_.Of all people, _Ruby_. 

Maybe it was still residual anger from how impolite her mother had been last night.Maybe it was resentment that the _one_ person Weiss _enjoyed_ spending time with would be belittled in this way…

“Who cares if she doesn’t have money?” Weiss shot back, her blood beginning to boil.“She’s a better person than anyone else I know.” 

“Yes, because being a _good person_ will be so useful…”

“It will be!”

The woman rolled her eyes, turning back to her coffee as if Weiss had suddenly become uninteresting.

“What would you know - you’re still a child.”

Weiss bristled at the insult, feeling even more animosity swell in her chest towards the person sitting in front of her.

“In case you haven’t noticed, _mother_ , I’m more grown up than you give me credit for!” she said forcefully, her voice a few levels louder than usual.

The tone brought the woman angrily to her feet, sending the chair scraping across the floor in her hurry.

“You watch your tone when you speak to me,” she seethed in Weiss’ face, shoving one pointed finger into her chest before turning away to mumble, “You’ve always been such an ungrateful child...”

“Yeah, well, sorry I’m not a suck up like Winter.”

The instant the words left Weiss’ mouth, she knew they were a mistake.And the resounding slap that hit her cheek a second later confirmed that for her, forcing her face towards the ground while nearly throwing her off balance in surprise.

Her cheek throbbed - growing progressively hotter by the second - but she didn’t dare raise a hand to touch it.She refused to give her mother the small satisfaction that she’d succeeded in hurting her.Even though her eyes stubbornly filled with moisture, she stared back at the woman with the least amount of emotion possible.

“How _dare_ you speak of your sister like that,” the woman hissed, her cold, blue eyes dampening with tear-filled rage.“She was _twice_ the Schnee you could ever hope to be.”

With a small sniff, the woman straightened her posture, tilting her head up and glancing down at Weiss in pure disdain.

“I wish she was still here instead of you.”

With that, the woman stalked out of the room, leaving Weiss frozen to the dining room floor, her breaths coming in ragged gasps while her heart beat loudly in her ears.The second she was alone, her eyes filled with tears that immediately streamed down her cheeks while she struggled to pull herself back together.

She’d always known her mother felt that way -she could see it in the looks the woman sometimes gave her - but somehow, _knowing_ it was true and hearing it spoken aloud were two different things. 

Why did it hurt so much?Weiss would be the first to admit that she hardly even liked the woman masquerading as her maternal figure.But...that didn’t change the fact that that person was...well, her mother.

Crouching towards the floor, she buried her face in the palms of her hands, taking care not to touch her throbbing cheek.

Why did it feel like her heart had been torn from her chest?She’d sworn to herself that she’d never let the woman’s words hurt her...that she’d never allow anything through the barrier she’d set up around her heart...

But Winter…

Winter had fit the role of heiress perfectly - spoiled, pretentious, egotistical, holier than thou…she’d wanted nothing more than to grow up to be just like their mother.She’d picked on Weiss relentlessly when they were younger...and things had only grown worse when Winter fell ill.

But, for as awful as Winter had been, that didn’t make her any less Weiss’ sister - and she’d been the heir apparent to the ‘throne’ that was the Schnee name.If Winter hadn’t passed away, the task of carrying on the family name would’ve been bestowed on her instead of Weiss. 

Winter would marry Cardin instead of her. 

There had always been this mysterious path floating in the back of Weiss’ mind - the one that closed to her the day Winter died.It was the path of infinite possibilities - where her parents might not care what Weiss did with her life, where they might not care who she married...

Ruby…

Weiss needed to see Ruby, right now.

Standing, she practically ran to the front door - grabbing the first coat her hand touched in the hall closet before careening outside, instantly greeted by an inhospitable breath of frozen air.Paying it no mind, she was down the front steps in a flash.

She had half a mind to walk to Ruby’s regardless of the cold.And she would’ve done just that if James hadn’t jogged out of the house behind her and opened a car door before she could walk past it.

“Please take me to Ruby’s,” she whispered, shielding her face from his gaze to hide the tears still steadily flowing.Inside the car, she immediately pulled out her phone and dialed the one number she knew by heart - the one person who could make her feel better at a time like this. 

“Please pick up,” Weiss mumbled to herself, sniffing once as the phone rang - and, on the second ring, connected.

“Hey Weiss!”

Hearing Ruby’s voice allowed Weiss to take a deep breath, preventing her voice from shaking so she didn’t cause any alarm.

“H-hey Ruby...is it ok if I come over?”

“Absolutely!Mi casa est tu casa!Or...something like that...man, I stink with foreign languages!”

Weiss’ lips curled into a tiny smile while Ruby laughed at her own expense.

“Anyway, when will you be here?”

“In just a few minutes - already in the car,” she answered, praying that that would be ok.It wasn’t usually good manners to drop by on such short notice.

“Perfect!Oh - I should probably clean, huh?”In the short pause that followed, Weiss imagined Ruby looking around the apartment at what were likely piles of clothing or dishes scattered about.

“No,” Weiss quickly replied, not wanting Ruby to go through any additional hassle just for her sake.“You don’t need to clean anything.I just...want to hang out.”

“Then absolutely!I love hanging out!”

“Great.”Relieved by the response, Weiss smiled.“Then I’ll see you soon.”

“Can’t wait!”

Hanging up the call, Weiss put her phone away and clenched her trembling fingers into fists.Her cheek burned, and her heart ached in a horrible way.

Even so, she didn’t want to be a burden.She just...needed Ruby to be there.


	14. Chapter 14

The limousine barely came to a stop before Weiss jumped out of the vehicle, raced up the stairs, and hurried through the entrance of the small, brick apartment building.Once inside, she flew across the lobby and tapped the button to summon an elevator - shifting between her feet while waiting for one to arrive.

Her tears had dried on the way here, but in their absence was an insufferable void - a chasm left where her heart should be.Waves of raw emotion threatened to overtake her - currently held at bay, but the levees she’d built for herself strained under the relentless pressure.

She’d never felt this way before - so desperately hurt that she might finally break.It was such a new, heightened level of hurt that she didn’t know what to do.She didn’t know how to fix the pain in her chest.She didn’t know how to shut her mother’s words out of her head.The only thing she knew was that she wanted to see Ruby.She _needed_ to see Ruby...

Just when she decided she’d rather take four flights of stairs than wait another second, a soft ding announced the elevator’s arrival.Stepping quickly inside, she jabbed the button for the fifth floor and held the ‘door close’ button until the doors slid shut.

If it was possible to feel someone’s presence, she would swear that she could feel Ruby’s right now.Her skin tingled in anticipation - as if knowing that help and support were nearby.She just needed to wait for the elevator to take her up four more floors.

Four long...torturous...floors...

As soon as she could slip between the opening elevator doors, she was in the hallway walking quickly towards Ruby’s apartment - on the very edge of a run, but running indoors wasn’t appropriate.Regardless of how many times she’d been here, she knew precisely what door she was headed to.When she finally reached it, she lifted one hand to knock three times. 

Her lungs strained with anticipation while waiting for the door to open, knowing that Ruby could provide the air Weiss desperately needed to let this go.

And suddenly, there she was.

Ruby swung open the door with a big grin - the type that seemed to be reserved only for Weiss and desserts.

“Long time no - wait, Weiss, what’s wrong?” 

Ruby’s grin instantly fell into a frown when she recognized that something wasn’t right. 

That was all it took for giant cracks to appear in Weiss’ walls - more emotions struggling to push through,threatening to tear down everything and wash her away.Turning her gaze to the floor, she tried to hide her tear-stained face and red-rimmed eyes.She must look like a complete mess, but that was the least of her concerns at the moment. 

It would have been polite for her to ask permission to step into the apartment, but Ruby was already pulling her in by the hand while she fought to contain her tears.

“A-are Yang and Blake here?” she whispered, trying to disguise a sniff with the back of her hand while Ruby closed the door.

As friendly as Yang and Blake were, Weiss didn’t want them to see her in this emotional state.She didn’t want _anyone_ to see her like this, but she needed someone to talk to, and there was only one person in the world she trusted enough to show this vulnerability.There was only one person who wouldn’t care that she wasn’t the perfect, unfeeling socialite she was supposed to be.

The one person who cared more about her than about her last name.

“They took Zwei for a walk,” Ruby answered.“Weiss, are you ok?”

Weiss didn’t need to look up to know that Ruby’s eyes were filling with increasing amounts of concern as distress seeped into her voice.But all Weiss could manage was a small shake of her head in response - her voice threatening to betray her if she tried to speak again.

Thankfully, Ruby seemed to understand, gently holding Weiss by the elbow and leading them over to the sofa to sit down.After Weiss chose the middle cushion and sat on the very edge of it, Ruby sat right beside her - close enough that their knees touched while Ruby sat sideways facing her.

Even though Ruby must be worried and curious, she didn’t attempt to pry.She merely allowed Weiss to be, giving her space and time to figure out what to say or where to begin.

While Ruby waited in silence, she reached over and rubbed one hand up and down Weiss’ back - the motion comforting and soothing at the same time.Even though they’d yet to hold any kind of conversation, Weiss felt the gesture send a pinprick of calm into her heart.

And Ruby still waited - patiently.Far more patiently than Weiss had suspected her to be capable of.No words needed to be spoken for Weiss to know, deep in her heart, that Ruby would stay like this for as long as Weiss needed.Be it hours, days, weeks...Ruby would be there.Her support was unconditional.

After several minutes of silence, Weiss took a deep breath and tried to speak, knowing that she needed to get her thoughts out in the open. 

“M-my...m-mother…” she stammered before stopping.The words conjured an image of the woman’s face - and Weiss dissolved into tears as she relived the moment and heard the words echo through her mind. 

_I wish she was still here instead of you._

Her mother wished she wasn’t alive...that she’d died instead of Winter.

Her mother wished she was dead.

The thought shattered her walls and destroyed the barriers she’d spent years constructing, which proved painfully delicate when she needed them most.After all this time, she thought she’d developed a thick skin.She thought she’d learned how to take her mother’s constant insults and criticisms.She thought she didn’t care any longer what the woman thought of her.

She thought wrong. 

But she was safe here with Ruby.There was no one to take advantage of her vulnerability if she let it show.No one to scold her for her weakness.No one to tell her how unworthy she is.

“Shh…shhh…” Ruby whispered while Weiss cried, her hand never faltering in its steady track up and down Weiss’ back, leaving behind a trail of warmth and strength she immediately soaked into her skin.“It’s ok...you don’t have to talk about it…” 

But Weiss _wanted_ to talk about it.She wanted to tell Ruby _everything_ \- everything about her family, about the life she was forced to lead, about the burning desire to be anyone but herself. 

And she would have, if she was able to say anything at all.She would have given Ruby more information than anyone could possibly handle at one moment.No matter how secret, how confidential, how intimate...Weiss would have placed the knowledge at Ruby’s feet right then - knowing that Ruby would never balk or back away from it, knowing that the warm hand would never falter in its course.

But Weiss couldn’t get out anything more than tears while staring down at her shaking hands.She couldn’t say anything, but still Ruby comforted her - unceasingly there for her, never demanding a reason or an explanation.Just...there.Ready and willing to help when needed.

It wasn’t fair that someone like Ruby’s mother, who - from the stories Weiss heard - adored her children immensely, had been taken away too soon.It wasn’t fair that Ruby and Yang had been forced to grow up without the mother who loved them, while Weiss’ mother was allowed to choose whether or not to love her.

If only her mother had room for more than one child in her heart.

As more tears welled up, Weiss hid her face in her hands - only to jerk away the instant her swollen cheek touched her palm.Her cheek still stung - the force from her mother’s blow leaving an imprint that would likely last for the rest of the day.

Her flinch caught Ruby’s attention, and a lithe finger curled gently underneath her chin a second later.She allowed the delicate touch to turn her head, directing her gaze to Ruby.Silver orbs fixated upon her - powerful and unwavering.The gaze was enslaving, refusing her instinct to turn away - to hide her pain and bury her suffering.

“What happened?” Ruby whispered, her eyes flitting to Weiss’ cheek before staring into her eyes for an answer.

Even though Weiss opened her mouth to respond, she found no words to say.Instead, more tears slipped out.

“Did she do this to you?”

The question was low...angry.Emotions swirled in Ruby’s eyes, quickly morphing from a calm, molten sea of metal to something more akin to darkened storm clouds brewing on the horizon.It was unlike anything Weiss had seen from Ruby before - a depth of expression that went far beyond carefree or lighthearted.

Without disturbing Ruby’s finger resting underneath her chin, Weiss tilted her head a fraction of an inch downward - the miniscule gesture more than enough of an answer. 

Ruby opened her mouth to say something but closed it a second later with a sullen shake of her head.Taking a deep breath, she dropped her hand and stood from the sofa.

“I’ll get you some ice…” she muttered on her way to the kitchen, her hands balled into tight fists as she walked away.

In Ruby’s absence, Weiss returned her gaze to her trembling hands and sniffed several times while struggling to regain control over her rampant emotions.Everything needed to be pushed down and bottled up so that she could continue to be - so that she could continue to function normally.

Slowly, but surely, her efforts seemed to make an impact.Her breathing slowed while more of her senses returned to her.It was only then that she realized how stifling hot it had become while still wearing her winter jacket inside the heated apartment.Shrugging off the offending item, she meticulously folded it up and laid it across the far armrest of the sofa - the mindless activity stilling her nerves in its familiarity. 

A few minutes later, Ruby returned to the seat beside her, gently pressing a bag of ice wrapped in a dish towel into her still trembling hands.Accepting the items with a soft “thank you,” Weiss delicately pressed the cold material to her cheek. 

The coolness provided instant relief from the stinging, but it wasn’t nearly as soothing as the sensation of Ruby wrapping Weiss’ free hand within her own - Ruby’s hands slightly cold from retrieving the ice.

Without saying a word, the two of them sat like that for quite some time.There was no pressure to speak - no pressure to do anything but sit and wait for the storm to pass.

When Weiss’ cheek was nearly numb, she finally lowered the ice to her lap and sighed.Her breathing was returning to normal, her sniffles were coming less often, and her eyes were drying up, but she still held onto Ruby’s hand like a lifeline...having no desire to find out what would happen if they were separated at this moment.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

The question was a whisper - nothing more than an offer...a message that Ruby was still there and willing to listen to Weiss’ pain.

“I...uh...want to, b-but…”

Feeling more tears sting the corners of her eyes, Weiss cut off her words and sniffled again.Hanging her head, she sighed in disappointment - disappointment with herself, for allowing her mother to harm her so thoroughly.

Ruby dropped her hand then, but only to pull her into a hug.And when Ruby held her so tightly, it felt like nothing else could ever break through.Ruby’s arms were a barrier...an impenetrable barrier keeping all the pain away.

She was safe here.

When Ruby rested a chin on Weiss’ shoulder, Weiss reciprocated in kind - burying her unshed tears in Ruby’s neck and squeezing her as close as possible. 

There was comfort to be found in Ruby’s arms...in her warmth...in the way one soft hand threaded carefully through Weiss’ hair while she was allowed to relinquish whatever tears remained.

Pressed so close together, she could feel Ruby’s heartbeat, calm and steady as it beat beside her wildly erratic pulse.But she felt herself calming down as her heart sought to match Ruby’s rhythm - to beat in tune with the unwavering pace.As their two hearts synchronized as one, her breathing leveled out, her trembling ceased, and her tears faded away.

Still, the two of them remained in that position. 

Weiss didn’t want to move.She didn’t want to lift her head from Ruby’s shoulder.She didn’t want Ruby’s fingers to stop picking their way carefully through her hair.She just wanted to stay here...for a little longer…

Even though she felt raw and exhausted, a few minutes passed and she relaxed, just a little bit.

Ruby was protecting her - nothing could get her here.Ruby’s embrace was a shield, preventing any attack from coming close to Weiss’ tender heart.At the same time, Ruby’s strength seeped into Weiss’ veins and began healing the damage caused by far too many dark days.

If they could be frozen into statues, Weiss would happily spend eternity just like this.

When Ruby began to pull away after a few more minutes, Weiss’ arms subconsciously tightened and refused to allow the brunette more than a couple inches backward.

“Any better?” Ruby breathed quietly, the words traveling the short distance between them as a wave of warm air.

Nodding, Weiss closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Ruby’s, focusing on keeping her breathing at a slow, even pace as emotional exhaustion caught up to her.

Again, Ruby let Weiss stay there for as long as she needed - waiting in silence until she finally opened her eyes, lifted her head and gave Ruby a tepid smile.Ruby immediately returned it, reaching up one hand and tucking a runaway strand of white hair behind Weiss’ ear - a gesture that, even in its simplicity, was both intimate and caring.

And when Ruby looked at her, Weiss knew she could lose herself in those loving, silver eyes.The ones that seemed to have been made just for her.The ones she’d somehow earned without spending a dime - being herself was enough, when being herself was never enough.

Stripped of her defenses, Weiss felt it clearly now - the spark she’d denied acknowledging all this time - a tiny flicker buried deep within her heart. 

Her breathing hitched as her eyes flitted rapidly between Ruby’s silver orbs.Ruby had one hand frozen behind Weiss’ ear, her arm suspended in midair while silver eyes searched Weiss’ for an answer to some unspoken question.

The answer could have come from one of them, or both of them - Weiss couldn’t be sure.But the next moment her eyes slid shut as Ruby leaned towards her - her own posture moving to meet Ruby halfway as their lips hesitantly met in a kiss.

The soft touch sent a current of energy through Weiss’ veins, turning that tiny spark into a roaring fire in an instant. 

She pressed closer, not wanting to lose the contact as the kiss deepened - both of them growing bolder as time ticked forward.Ruby’s hand ran through Weiss’ hair and gently tugged her closer, as if Ruby also needed to be nearer - as if their locked lips weren’t nearly enough to feed their desire.

Weiss’ hands were trembling again - this time from the electricity tingling beneath the surface of her skin.Timidly, she reached up one hand and placed it on Ruby’s shoulder, but slid it behind Ruby’s neck and gripped tightly when she felt another light tug on her hair. 

Feeling a warm, wet tongue run across her lips, she opened her lips to grant Ruby access - their tongues immediately clashing together as they struggled to become one with each other.With their lips locked together, Weiss reminded herself to breathe, becoming so caught up in their fervor that her lungs were steadily depleting of air.

At this moment, Weiss was fueled by a passion she’d never felt before - a deep desire that moved them steadily further as Ruby willingly responded in kind.They were breathing heavily now - soft pants echoing through the small room - but that didn’t stop them from continuing. 

Ruby slowly pressed forward until Weiss’ back was on the sofa and she was laying lightly on top.The new position only spurred them on more as they continued to feed their ravenous hunger - their lips refusing to part for more than a second.Both of Weiss’ hands were in Ruby’s hair now, releasing pent-up energy as they ran through short, soft strands of brunette hair - tugging and pulling gently when she curled and uncurled her fingers.

Ruby’s hand ran down Weiss’ side before reaching the hem of her shirt, causing her to let out a soft gasp of air when she felt cold fingertips venture hesitantly underneath.She tugged Ruby closer, releasing a small moan into the girl’s mouth that gave her permission to continue - a soft hand sliding across her bare stomach a second later.

Her mind was spinning, overcome by sensations that were powerful and overwhelming.She was losing her sense of self as it became more and more impossible to think of anything but Ruby.

Nothing else existed, but Ruby.

There was nothing else Weiss wanted, but Ru-

The sound of keys jingling in the front lock instantly snapped Weiss back to attention.Ruby reacted at the same moment, jumping backward on the sofa while Weiss sat up - the two of them creating as much separation as possible before the front door swung open, marking Yang and Blake’s return from their walk.

“Hey Ruby, we brought you - oh, hey Weiss!”

“Hello Yang,” Weiss responded without looking up, too busy staring at her hands while her heart raced and her mind reeled. 

Her breathing came in jagged breaths as her body attempted to recoup some of the oxygen lost over the past few moments, but hopefully no one would overhear.Running one hand quickly across her lips, she wiped away the moisture remaining there and noticed that Ruby did the same.Reaching down, Weiss tugged at the hem of her shirt, pulling it back into place.

A second later, she heard the sound of a leash unclipping before tiny paws clicked across the floor - Zwei running off for a drink from his water bowl.

“We brought some ice cream back,” Yang added, hopefully oblivious to what had been happening before their return.“Maybe Ruby will share?”

Weiss felt Ruby look at her, but she couldn’t return the gaze as her face flushed deeper by the second.Instead of meeting Ruby’s gaze, she stood up, still refusing the make direct eye contact with anyone else in the apartment.

“I...actually I need to get going.Sorry, Ruby, I don’t think I can make dinner but...thank you.”

With those words, Weiss rushed past a confused Blake and Yang, through the open front door and into the hallway.This time she took the stairs, not wanting to risk Ruby running after her while she waited for the elevator.

Four flights of stairs did little to calm her heavy breathing - leaving her even more out of breath as she ran through the lobby several minutes later.It was only when she shoved the door open and stumbled out into the cold winter air that she realized she forgot her coat - the necessary outerwear still neatly folded on the arm of the sofa upstairs.

Thankfully, James had waited for her even though she’d given him no instruction to do so.Hurrying down the sidewalk, she opened the door and dove into the vehicle before he spotted her.

“Miss?” he asked, looking at her in the rearview mirror.

“Go, please.”

“Go where?”

“Anywhere,” she said, hiding her face in her hands as the vehicle pulled away from the curb and left Ruby’s apartment building behind.

No metric in the world could accurately measure just how rapidly her heart was pounding at this moment - the sound drumming loudly in her ears while her hands re-commenced their shaking.Touching one shaking finger to her lips, she traced them slowly while her mind raced in a million separate directions at once.

What just happened? 

What did she just do?


	15. Chapter 15

What had she done?

She’d done something so inconceivable - so unfathomable - her mind could barely analyze or quantify it.Instead, she stumbled over the same thought over and over again. 

There’d been no other option but to sit in stunned silence on the ride home, which thankfully took longer than usual due to the roundabout route James decided to take.The drive gave her time to think - about that one particular thought - while lightly running a finger across her bottom lip as her face refused to lose its deep flush.

When the vehicle had finally pulled to a stop in front of the towering mansion, she made a beeline to her room and shut the door - going so far as to lock it to keep everyone else out.Once inside, she paced while trying to calm her thoughts and slow her rapidly beating heart - to no avail. 

They _kissed_. 

She _kissed_ Ruby.And not a friendly peck on the cheek that friends sometimes gave one another.It wasn’t that type of kiss - it had been intense...feverish...uncontrollable…

As soon as their lips touched, an unstoppable release of feelings poured from Weiss’ heart - feelings that had been so well hidden she hadn’t been forced to acknowledge their existence until this very moment.

She _kissed_ Ruby.

But Ruby kissed her back.

That second thought scattered Weiss’ heart into thousands of butterflies - an entire kaleidoscope of the creatures fluttering excitedly around her chest.

Ruby had kissed her.

Weiss’ mind stuck on that single thought for a long time as she wore a track into the carpet in her room.She couldn’t get over that moment, which had been unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. 

It was only when she noticed the sky was dark and the rest of the world was quiet that she decided she should try to sleep.But as soon as her eyes closed, she reopened them - the memory of their kiss amazingly vivid when her eyes shut.It was like a film of the moment was stuck on repeat, playing over and over inside her mind and refusing to stop.

Giving up on sleep and getting out of bed, she tried to stay awake as long as possible instead.If she kept her eyes open, she wouldn’t think about the kiss…

Or, she would still think about the kiss, but her heart wouldn’t beat like crazy.

Or, her heart would still beat like crazy, but she could try to distract herself.She found any distraction possible - rearranging the room, organizing her shoes alphabetically by color, reading mindless articles on the internet - anything to keep her from dwelling on what had happened or driving herself crazy thinking about what it meant.

It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that exhaustion finally caught up to her - luring her into a restless sleep filled with dreams starring a certain beautiful brunette.

When Weiss woke up the next morning, her head was still swimming.Regardless, she dragged herself out of bed and got ready for the day as if everything was normal - as if her breath didn’t catch in her throat every time her mind drifted to the moment they’d shared...which was _all_ the time. 

The sensation wouldn’t fade.Even a night of horrible sleep did nothing to wash away the feeling of Ruby pressed against her.Her skin still tingled where Ruby’s hands had been, where her lips had been.Weiss could still taste the sugar that had been on Ruby’s tongue and smell her rose-scented hair.

Every time Weiss thought about it, her body ached with desire - an ill-fated thirst to relive that brief moment in time over and over again, to stretch it out even longer.The repercussions had yet to play themselves out, but she was already willing to do it again - to fall down that well one more time. 

Cursing herself for her stupidity, she wore a track into the floor in front of her bed, determined not to leave her only sanctuary until she absolutely must. 

Why - _why_ had she kissed Ruby?What good could she have possibly imagined coming from such a rash decision?Not that she’d really been thinking at the moment...it was more like her body finally acting out what it wanted.But why did she want to do it again?Why did she want _so badly_ to do it again?

Shaking her head, she dropped her hand from her hair - from the very spot Ruby’s fingers had been curled the day before. 

There were far bigger things to worry about right now - the greatest of which was her suddenly silent phone.For the first time in weeks, Weiss didn’t receive a text from Ruby in the morning.It was possible that Ruby was still sleeping, but she was usually up by now…

Without pausing her rapid pace, Weiss glanced at her phone and confirmed that there were still no new messages.Dropping her hand to her side, she sighed and kept walking.

The silence from the other end of the line was increasingly alarming.She wanted to break it, but she didn’t know what to say.What _could_ she say?How should she even bring the topic up?

Rationally, she knew that the best course of action was to pretend nothing happened, or play it off as not a big deal - like it was _normal_ for her to kiss a friend like that.Like it was normal for her to be kissing people, at all. 

But she couldn’t do that.Something _did_ happen.Something huge.Monumental.Life altering.

Confusing and tumultuous.

The lack of words from Ruby suggested that she felt the same way.

The thought of this ruining their friendship - of making it so uncomfortable that they couldn’t even speak to each other - sent chills of terror down Weiss’ spine.She _needed_ Ruby in her life.Ruby was the lift in her smile, the high note in her laughter.Without the prospect of spending time together somewhere on the horizon, she had no reason to enjoy her days.

She needed to fix this.She might not know what to say, but she needed to talk to Ruby and make this better.She couldn’t go back to the days when she had nothing to look forward to - not when she now knew what she’d been missing. 

Before she made any attempt to speak to Ruby, she had to go to lunch as her father ordered.There was nothing like sharing a meal with a complete stranger to ruin her already dreadful day, but she wouldn’t risk angering her father by missing such an important appointment.Evoking his wrath was a quick way to lose the freedom to leave the house at all.

So, regardless of her mood, she got dressed for lunch - selecting a formal, ice blue dress with a pair of matching light blue heels.‘Schnee Blue,’ as her mother called it.This particular clothing designer used the color only for their family - a luxury for which they paid handsomely.Yet another needless status symbol…

Checking her reflection in the mirror by the door to her room, she gave a satisfied nod before heading downstairs.The outfit was professional but not too professional.Her favorite jacket would’ve been the perfect complement to the ensemble, if only she hadn’t been absentminded and left it at Ruby’s the day before.A standard black jacket would have to do for today…

Pulling her second favorite coat from the closet, she fit her arms through the sleeves and turned towards the chauffeur waiting by the door for her.

“I’m ready,” she told him as she walked towards the door - pausing to allow him to open it for her before walking through.Taking a deep breath and heading down the steps to the limousine waiting outside, she found herself sitting in the backseat in no time.The vehicle rolled down the drive, and her mind roared to life in the quiet.

The restaurant wasn’t far, but she spent the entire time thinking about how she could mend things with Ruby.A multitude of possible conversations played through her mind, sometimes stacking overtop of one another.At the same time, her loudly-protesting stomach reminded her that she hadn’t eaten in over a day.

Eating would help her think more clearly.Or it would at least prevent her stomach from serving as an additional distraction.

A few minutes ahead of schedule, the vehicle stopped in front of one of the nicest restaurants in Vale.Waiting patiently in the backseat, she clenched her hands into her dress and waited for the passenger door to be opened for her.

When it was, she stepped outside without any hesitation - hardening her expression and emotions for the meeting to come.After nodding to the driver in thanks, she strode purposefully across the sidewalk and through the front door being held for her by one of the restaurant’s hosts.

Hopefully, the mayor would at least have the courtesy to arrive on time.

When small bubbles of nerves appeared, she pushed them down - reminding herself that she was a Schnee, and _no one_ \- no matter how powerful, wealthy, or influential - made a Schnee nervous.

“Good afternoon, Miss Schnee,” the tuxedo-wearing host at the front desk greeted her.“I can show you to your table.”

He gestured towards the interior of the restaurant, and she nodded as permission to lead the way. 

After navigating past several occupied tables, Weiss was pleasantly surprised to find that her guest had already arrived.

As anticipated, she received an eyebrow arched in surprise upon being escorted over to the table - the older gentleman clearly expecting someone else.But she was used to the reaction by now.This wasn’t the first time her father sent her along in his place, after all.And it likely wouldn’t be the last, for there seemed to be no shortage of men and women who needed to be put in their place. 

“Weiss Schnee,” she announced confidently, sticking out one hand for a handshake after the man rose from his seat.“It’s nice to meet you, Mayor Ozpin.”

Despite his gray hair, the mayor appeared to be middle-aged - at least, his spry energy suggested he might be younger than his actual years.The full moon spectacles he wore added to an overwhelming aura of intelligence, as if he knew things no one else did.On his lips perched a whimsical smile that only reinforced the idea that he held secrets he was just dying to tell her.

“Likewise,” came the polite response with a nod and gentle shake of her hand.“I’ve heard only remarkable things about Fredrick Schnee’s youngest daughter.”

Biting her tongue to keep the words ‘only daughter’ at bay, Weiss gave the man a cordial smile before taking her seat, allowing the host to push in her chair before leaving their table to return to his post.

“‘Remarkable’ is a word better left for those far more accomplished than I,” she replied, hearing her mother’s scoff at such a grand term being used to describe her lowly daughter.

“Top of your class from grade school through college, a wonderful pianist, widely known for the utmost level of poise and composure...which of those things are unremarkable to you?”

A frown creased Weiss’ brow as he retook his seat.While his words weren’t secrets, she hadn’t expected him to know any personal information about her at all.

“I try my best to make my family proud,” she responded, hoping that the civil response would mark the end of this rather strange conversation.But he smiled at her, as if her answer had already been anticipated. 

“There’s a difference between bringing pride to your family and making your family proud.Which do you strive for?”

The question stumped her - causing her to pause for an instant too long as she struggled to discover the most politically correct answer.But it turned out to be rhetorical, and the man moved on before she could even attempt a response.

“I will admit that I foolishly expected someone else today,” he said, courteously unfolding his napkin only after she’d placed hers neatly upon her lap.

“My father sends his regards and his apologies, but he had other matters to attend to,” she replied, picking up her menu while trying to forget the unsettling feeling the prior question had left in her mind.

“I’m sure he’s a very busy man…” the mayor replied, evidently not believing the party line she’d just used, but picked up his menu anyway - maintaining eye contact with her overtop it. 

“I must say I’m relieved.You have no idea how long I’ve wished for a meal with good conversation and no political agendas involved.”

The comment caught Weiss’ immediate attention, and she studied his brown eyes closely, struggling to determine if he was being truthful or merely luring her into a false sense of security.It was common knowledge that politicians had a way of weaseling information out of unsuspecting guests - using their charms and good-natured ways to ease people into spilling information.And she certainly had a wealth of information he would love to hear - an abundance of ammunition which could be used to bend her father’s will to align with the new government’s goals.

Because her family was not free of skeletons in the closet...not by a long shot.

“I don’t know what possible topics you’d like to cover,” she replied, testing the water to judge his response.

“Oh, anything you’d like - how you feel about Vale, what you’d like to change, what drives you…”

“My opinion of Vale holds little weight,” she responded, hearing an edge of resentment in her tone. 

But it was the truth.Her father’s word was all that mattered in terms of what changed in the city.Even the mayor must know that by now.

“Ah...much to the contrary,” the man replied with a light laugh.“What you think holds more weight than the average young lady.You just don’t realize it yet.”

So he was one of _those_ politicians - the ones who spoke in riddles, their silver tongues implying greatness with little background knowledge on the situation. 

But unlike the other men she’d met of the same breed, he seemed genuine in his interest and his ill-placed confidence in her.And the topics he suggested seemed safe and appropriate for their meal.They would reveal little in terms of personal information and even less about her father’s political agenda if she answered correctly. 

Plus, besides Ruby, no one had ever asked for her opinion and genuinely wanted to hear an answer.

A few months ago, she would have instantly frozen the man out - refusing to surrender one iota of her thoughts - but now...it wasn’t as difficult to believe that he was honestly interested.It wasn’t impossible to think that he might actually be a kind person.

There were worse ways to pass the time, and at least it would temporarily draw her mind away from the girl who still hadn’t contacted her.

“Where should we begin?” she asked, watching his eyes light up with cheer at her response.

“Wherever you’d like - but first, maybe we’ll order something to eat?”

Surprisingly, Weiss smiled at the question.Taking that as a ‘yes,’ the mayor waved their server over so that their meal could begin.

And the time passed quickly - their food arriving and disappearing, the waiter continually refilling the mayor’s coffee and her cup of tea as they talked.They spoke of big picture problems - inequality, crime, corruption - while also touching upon the more mundane - how she’d enjoyed college, what her favorite restaurant was.

With every passing minute, she grew to like the man more and more.His personality was not unlike that of a mentor - trustworthy and knowledgeable while quietly reserving judgment on her opinions.All of his responses were guiding in nature - steering her without forcing her in any particular direction.

Inexplicably, he held the highest of regards for her, even though he knew hardly anything about her other than her more publicized history.At first, she’d been bothered by the way he phrased everything as ‘you _can_ do this’ or ‘you _can_ do that,’ but eventually she found herself wanting to believe him more than anything.

After spending much more time than anticipated in the restaurant, they’d eventually exited the table and made their way outside, where the winter air greeted them with an unfriendly nip on the cheeks.

“I’ll tell my father you send your best,” she said, a puff of frozen air billowing from her lips as she pulled her jacket tighter. 

“That’s not necessary,” he replied with a shake of his head.“Tell him whatever needs to be said - don’t worry about me.I have a feeling I’ll be at odds with him for quite some time, regardless.”

For what must be the tenth time since they’d met, his words left Weiss with none.It was as if he already knew that her father would only be angry if she tried to put in a good word.

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Schnee,” Mayor Ozpin said with a smile and slight bow of his head.“I have a feeling our paths will cross again.”

With a much warmer handshake than their initial greeting, the man then turned and made his way towards his next destination, wherever that may be.

Freed from that surprisingly pleasant obligation, Weiss immediately checked her phone - having been considerate enough to silence the device for the entirety of the meal.Finding zero messages or missed calls, she let out a big sigh, allowing her hands to drop back to her sides in disappointment.The warm glow of good conversation faded instantly, replaced by the apprehensive energy that had consumed her since this morning.

It was now an entire day since they’d last talked, and it was every bit as unnerving as it was lonely.She didn’t want to go back to this - to the silence that had once dominated her world.Self-imposed as it may have been, there was one voice she wanted to hear now. 

She wanted to tell Ruby about her lunch - about how well it had gone and how much she ended up liking the city’s newest leader.Truthfully, she never would’ve given the man a chance if she hadn’t known Ruby - if she hadn’t known that there were good people in the world who cared about the words she had to say.

Instead, Weiss kept all those thoughts inside, having no one to tell them too.

Walking towards the limousine parked just a few feet away, she nodded to the chauffeur as he held the door for her.

“Please take me home,” she said as she slipped into the vehicle and settled in for the short drive.

Now that lunch was over, she could try to end this never-ending silence.A few hours devoted to coming up with the perfect words to say should be a good start.That is, if Ruby was even willing to listen to whatever Weiss came up with.

With a plan in mind, Weiss didn’t wait for the chauffeur to get her door when they returned home.Instead, she let herself out into the cold and rushed up the steps to the front door.Letting herself inside, she handed her coat to a nearby housekeep and was already up the staircase when her mother appeared on the top landing.

Weiss froze, but the woman looked right past her - refusing to acknowledge her existence while descending the staircase and brushing past her elbow without a word.

The dismissal was upsetting, but Weiss pushed those unnecessary feelings down and continued on the path to her room.Once inside, she sat at her desk and pulled out a piece of stationery and pen to write down her thoughts.

An hour later and nothing but Ruby’s name made it to the page.

It wasn’t that Weiss had nothing to say - she had _so_ much to say.But much of what came to mind she refused to write down out of fear of memorializing the feelings in legible form - where any literate person could read her innermost thoughts.Instead, she came up with a slew of excuses, each successive one worse than the last.

_They were just friends and shouldn’t do it again_ \- like Ruby was begging Weiss for another kiss with continued silence.

_It was a mistake_ \- but it didn’t _feel_ like one, especially not from the way Weiss’ heart pounded at the mere thought of that moment.

_She didn’t want it to ruin their relationship_ \- which was true, but delved too deeply into what the kiss meant to each of them.And she didn’t want to think about what it meant to her - the memory still triggering all manners of foreign reactions within her body.

When a hesitant knock sounded on the bedroom door, Weiss gladly gave up her hopeless endeavor, tossing the pen down onto the desk.

“Come in,” she called, twisting towards the door but not standing up.

One of the housekeepers poked her head in a few seconds later, looking around the room before spotting Weiss at the desk.Only then did the woman walk inside, looking far too nervous for Weiss’ liking.

“Miss Schnee...your mother said she needs to give the final headcount to the caterer tomorrow.She wanted to know if there was anyone else you wanted to invite.”

Ah…

No matter how small it might be, Weiss recognized the gesture for what it was - an olive branch.The woman had no idea how to apologize, so was instead granting Weiss permission to invite someone ‘beneath’ them to the wedding.To grant the opportunity of a lifetime to someone deemed unworthy in the woman’s eyes.

Yang, Blake...Ruby...should Weiss invite them?Would they come?Did she even want them there?

“No,” she replied with a forced smile.“There’ll be no one else.Thank you.”

With a nod, the woman disappeared an instant later - the bedroom door shutting with an almost inaudible ‘click.’

Everyone treated the wedding as a big celebration - a party - but Weiss saw it much more like a funeral - the end of whatever idea of freedom she’d held onto in life thus far.And the thought of standing at the altar saying ‘I do’...with Ruby sitting there...those silver eyes watching...as _Cardin_ kissed her...

She couldn’t do that.The thought alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Quickly rubbing the unshed tears away, she turned back to the desk, immeasurably disappointed by her inability to communicate with Ruby in any fashion - her complete failure only enunciated by the blank page staring up at her.

Searching for a source of inspiration (or seeking to add to her misery), Weiss opened the bottom drawer of the desk and pulled out the small framed photograph that was kept hidden inside.Straightening up with the object in her hands, she ran a thumb across the glass and smiled sadly.

It was a picture of the four of them - her mother, father, Winter, and herself.It was one of the few moments she remembered being truly happy - before Winter’s sickness, when she’d still been naive to the way the world worked, to the way _people_ worked.

The photograph had been taken on Winter’s 8th birthday.Their parents had thrown another lavishly extravagant party for the eldest Schnee princess, complete with _real_ unicorns - one of the birthday girl’s many, many wishes that year.

Of course, they weren’t _actually_ unicorns, but they looked pretty close.The white stallions had exquisitely-carved horns attached to their foreheads, and their tails and manes were threaded with glittering streams of blue, pink, and purple.As a finishing touch, ornate golden saddles were situated upon the animals’ backs - making them look as if they’d just walked straight out of a fairy tale.

Weiss and Winter were each sitting upon one of the animals - grinning like the oblivious children they were.Their mother stood by Winter’s side, while her father stood by Weiss’.They looked happy…or, at least, she and Winter looked happy.Her mother and father looked...less tired.

The more Weiss stared at the photograph, the more she understood her mother’s anger and sorrow.Every time the woman looked at Weiss, she must see Winter.The two of them were nearly identical in appearance - same clear blue eyes, long white hair, pale skin - how many times had they been mistaken for twins even though they were several years apart?

Did it excuse her mother’s behavior?Maybe not.But Weiss could try to sympathize with the woman’s loss - because Winter had embraced the Schnee name far more than Weiss ever had.Winter had been destined to carry the torch and was unflinchingly willing to do so.

Maybe it would’ve been better if Weiss had been the one to fall ill, after all.Then their family would have the heiress it so desperately needed - someone eager to sit on that ivory throne, to marry the prince and live the rest of her life in a castle.

Because that wasn’t Weiss, and it had never been.She still tried - she _always_ tried - but that wasn’t who she was meant to be.

That wasn’t who she _wanted_ to be.

Flipping the frame over, she returned it to the drawer before sealing it away - to be looked at again in several more years, most likely.

The unexpected sound of her phone buzzing against the table made her jump in the seat before lunging for the device.Finding a message from Ruby, she could have cried out in joy.

_‘I need to talk to you...I’ll wait for you at the tower every day at 8 until you show up.’_

The tone of the text was different from what Weiss expected, but she smiled anyway - beyond relieved that the current of conversation had finally been re-established. 

Of course she would show up.And of course it would be tonight.Why would she wait when she wanted to see Ruby too? 

And when Weiss got there, she’d say...what exactly? 

She still didn’t know, but that seemed much less important than seeing Ruby - seeing that smile...smelling the rose scented shampoo...feeling her soft skin…

Like for a hug.Weiss didn’t mean anything more than that. 

Giving up on arguing with herself, she sent back a simple ‘ _I’ll be there_ ’ before realizing there wasn’t much time before 8 p.m.Pressing the button to ring the butler downstairs, she waited one ring before he picked up.

“Yes, Miss?”

“Please have a car ready for me as soon as possible,” she said, standing and walking towards her closet for some weather-appropriate clothing.

“Yes, Miss.One will be ready shortly.”

“Thank you.” 

Hanging up the phone, she blew out a big breath of air while looking around her closet and picking out the first reasonable outfit that caught her eye.Hastily changing and checking her reflection in the mirror, she gave herself a nod before flying downstairs as if there were wings on her feet.After grabbing some gloves and a scarf from the hall closet, she soared into the waiting vehicle with hardly a glance towards the chauffeur.

“Where to?” he asked after getting into the driver’s seat.

“Vale University,” Weiss answered.“The main library.”

While the vehicle pulled down the drive, Weiss sat back in her seat and waited.Her knee bounced with nerves, and her hands fidgeted ceaselessly - both mannerisms so Ruby-esque in nature that Weiss had to wonder if the habits had worn off on her.

Another nervous habit - which was most assuredly hers and hers alone - was spinning her ring on her finger.Without a second thought, she pulled the ring off and placed it in one of the tiny compartments in the limousine. 

It was a small change, but somehow removing the item was liberating - even though it left an indentation where it had just been.

Rubbing at the imprint, she gazed out the window and tried to come up with the right words to say, but there were too many variables.She needed to know how Ruby felt first; then she could decide what her response would be.

The streets of Vale passed by slowly - yet in a blink of an eye she found herself released into the cold in front of Vale University’s vast library.

“You can wait here,” she instructed the driver, even though she now knew that he would wait no matter what.Turning away from the vehicle, she located the clock tower and made her way towards it.

There weren’t many students around tonight - likely due to the weather taking a recent turn for the worse - which lent a deserted air to the campus.But, even with how abandoned the atmosphere felt, she never questioned for a second whether or not Ruby would show.

Ruby was here.Weiss could feel it.

Hurrying through the brisk air, she made it to the base of the tower in no time.Craning her neck up, she thought that maybe she could catch a glimpse of Ruby standing above her, but found nothing except the clock looming overhead, displaying a time shortly after eight. 

Making it to the door at the base of the building, Weiss glanced around to make sure no one was within view, just as Ruby did that first night.Once convinced that no one was around, she hesitantly reached out and tried the handle, breathing a sigh of relief when she found it unlocked.

Pulling it open and slipping inside, she was plunged into darkness the second the door closed behind her.She waited several seconds for her eyes to adjust, but that hardly helped - she was still nearly blind in the low light.Looking up, she saw a faint dying light slipping through the crack in the door far above her head, but that was it. 

Reaching back to the door through which she’d just entered, her hand bumped blindly against it in search of the deadbolt, eventually stumbling across it and sliding it shut as quietly as possible.Extending another hand in front of her, she groped around aimlessly until her fingers hit the metal railing of the staircase.Grasping it firmly, she took a deep breath and started climbing.

Hopefully, the long climb would give her plenty of time to still her rapidly beating heart…


	16. Chapter 16

Her footsteps echoed off the walls as she climbed staircase after staircase, each step bringing her closer to the atop the building - the platform where Ruby was waiting. 

Weiss’ goal was to traverse the stairs slowly - to use the journey as an opportunity to calm her thoughts and decide what she wanted to say.Instead, she hurried up the steps.With one hand always on the railing, she found it easier to navigate in the darkness this time, which meant that she _could_ move quickly.Her legs and lungs burned from the effort, but she continued anyway.At each bend, where the staircase met a corner of the building and was forced to turn to the right, she glanced up - picking out the pinprick of light above her.

The uncertainty in the situation should have slowed her down, but her feelings for Ruby spurred her legs faster.She didn’t want to spend another day like this, which meant she needed to know how to end this silence - and she needed to know as soon as possible.

The top of the tower arrived much sooner than anticipated - her burning desire to see Ruby overwhelming her need to mentally prepare for what was to come.

Pausing in front of the door - with her breaths coming in gasps and her heart beating thunderously in her chest - it was clear that she pushed herself faster than she should have.But she’d made it.She was here.This unspectacular door with its outline of light was all that separated her from Ruby.

A few seconds ago, she would’ve thought it was impossible for her to be more nervous, but her nerves doubled when she thought about what might wait for her beyond the door.

No matter how much she thought about it, or how many simulations she ran through in her head, she had no idea what Ruby was going to say - or what she expected Weiss to say.

They kissed - but it wasn’t a big deal, was it?Sure, thinking about that moment made Weiss’ heart flip in her chest, but it was just a kiss, right?That’s what Ruby thought, wasn’t it?

Weiss hated not knowing what to do.She hated not knowing what to say or what to expect from other people.She hated the unknown, in general.It made her uncomfortable and anxious when the world acted outside of her control. 

This situation made her apprehensive, but - no matter what was in store for them - she needed to know the answer right now.They couldn’t continue like this, not when the winter days steadily dwindled away.Their time together was too precious to waste on another second on silence.

Taking a deep breath and summoning one last ounce of courage, Weiss reached out and grabbed the door handle.The metal was cold enough to chill her fingers through her glove, but that wasn’t the source of the shiver that ran through her limbs.Slowly turning the handle, she pushed the door open - trying to make as little noise as possible as she stepped out of the stairwell. 

The initial blast of wind bit at her cheeks, sending a harsh reminder that they were still very much in the grip of winter.Her first breath of fresh air came in as a gasp of cold before being released as a cloud of frost in front of her - with more clouds close behind as she recovered from her rapid ascent to this place.

Thankfully, she’d dressed more appropriately for the weather with thick gloves and a heavy scarf, but those did little to shelter her nose and cheeks from the cold.But the weather quickly faded into the background when her eyes found the lone figure occupying the space below the giant, illuminated clock with her. 

Across the rooftop, leaning against the low wall while gazing towards downtown Vale, was Ruby.Dressed in denim jeans and a sturdy, dark red jacket, her back was turned to the door while she rested both elbows on the wall.Even from this distance, Weiss could see the puffs of frozen air appearing from Ruby’s lips - slow, steady breathing that Weiss subconsciously tried to match.

At this time of night, the blindingly-white moon hung above the skyscrapers while the best and brightest stars shone in the sky.These two nighttime staples worked together to bathe Vale in a calming, white glow.

The image before Weiss - the moon, the stairs, Vale, and Ruby - was beautiful.It was so beautiful it took her breath away and shattered the excuses and rationalizations that had passed through her mind on the long trek up here. 

All Weiss could think about was how enchanting this moment was - how her skin tingled from their proximity - how her pulse raced and her palms grew moist despite the cold.

She’d spent her entire life surrounded by beautiful things - the most beautiful possessions all the money in the world could buy.Irreplaceable paintings, the most sought-after jewels, ancient sculptures...but none of those things compared to how Ruby looked right now.

Weiss’ family was blessed with unimaginable wealth, yet it was this moment - this _free_ moment - that took her breath away.

Oblivious to Weiss’ presence, Ruby stared towards the horizon, evidently lost in thought.What Weiss would give for a glimpse inside that mind, to know what Ruby was thinking about right now.Was she thinking about Weiss?Wondering if she would or wouldn’t show up tonight?

Was Ruby thinking about the kiss too?How it felt when their lips were locked together?How exciting and freeing it was to be pressed so close together?

Or was it only Weiss having those thoughts?

Before Weiss decided how she wanted to announce her presence - either by calling out or walking silently over - the weather decided for her.A sudden, strong gust of wind swept across the rooftop, taking the door right out of her hand and slamming it shut with a loud bang.

Ruby spun around in surprise, but relaxed when she found Weiss standing there - who was now thoroughly embarrassed by the clumsy entrance. 

“Hey, Weiss,” Ruby said, giving a tiny smile in greeting.

Ruby used the same words she usually used, but the tone was completely different.Gone was the effusive, uncontrollable energy Weiss was typically met with.That giddiness had been replaced by hesitation and doubt - two emotions reflected in Ruby’s lackluster attempt at a smile and gray eyes that had lost much of their sparkle.

It almost felt like Ruby was unsure of herself - like she was afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing.

Maybe Weiss was reading into it too much, but the subdued greeting set off alarm bells in her head.Spurring her feet to move, she quickly crossed the distance between them and stopped only when they were just a few feet apart.Her eyes lingered a second too long on Ruby’s lips, causing her skin to prickle in memory before forcing her gaze up to silver eyes.

“Hello,” Weiss responded softly, her mouth suddenly remarkably dry.Coughing lightly into one hand, she felt her cheeks heat up under the unwavering silver gaze - for no apparent reason other than the two of them occupying the same space.

“Thanks for coming to see me.”

Internally, Weiss’ mind recoiled from Ruby’s vacant tone.The words were formal - too formal.This was how Weiss would speak to her father’s business partners or her mother’s ‘friends,’ but for Ruby to do the same…? 

It wasn’t right.Ruby shouldn’t be acting this way.This wasn’t who Ruby was - this wasn’t the carefree girl Weiss cared so much for.

But this was her fault.This was the result of her own actions.If only she’d maintained more control over her emotions...if only she hadn’t allowed her deepest desires slip out into the open...

“Of course I came to see you, Ruby,” she replied, her voice carrying a pleading edge as she tried to reach the Ruby she so desperately wanted to see.

When Weiss took a step closer, a knife cut through her heart when Ruby took a step backward to match - maintaining the distance between them while Weiss attempted to close it.

“S-so uh...how was your day?”

Weiss noticed the slight quiver in Ruby’s hand as it was run through brunette hair, accompanied by shifting back and forth between her feet.

“It was…”

Many lies would fit perfectly at the end of that sentence, but Weiss decided to forgo those altogether.

“I had lunch with the mayor today,” she said instead, hoping that a normal conversation would break Ruby out of this shell.

“Really?The mayor?” 

Normally, Ruby was very attentive to what Weiss said, but right now...it felt like she was more interested in stalling for time than hearing the actual responses.But Weiss answered anyway - willing to carry on a fake conversation if it would help ease them back to what they once had.

“Yes...he’s actually a great person.I really liked him.”

Weiss left out the part about how she’d only given the man a chance because of Ruby’s positive influence.It didn’t seem like the right moment to lavish Ruby with compliments.

“He seems like it,” Ruby replied, still looking like her thoughts were far away from the conversation.“I ran into him once, you know.”

The words were so...dead.It was as if every ounce of life had been hollowed out of them, leaving nothing but empty shells that fell to the ground as soon as they were uttered.

“Really?” Weiss asked, struggling to maintain a normal dialogue, still hoping it would bring the cheerful side of Ruby to light.“Walking around town or…?”

“No, I, uh...I _literally_ ran into him once.”

“You...what?”

“Almost knocked him over,” Ruby elaborated, a miniscule smile of embarrassment appearing for a split second.“That blonde lady with him was _mad_.”

Weiss couldn’t help but chuckle at the image of Ruby running headfirst into the mayor before receiving a scolding from the woman who had most likely been his ‘partner’ Glynda.He’d never elaborated on if she was a partner for business or more of a life partner...he just spoke very fondly of her.

An uncomfortable silence settled over them as the story abruptly ended.What would have, on any other day, had Weiss in stitches from laughter had hardly even brought a smile to her face - so unenthusiastic was the way in which it was told.

When Weiss scooted forward another inch, Ruby again matched her movement with an inch in the other direction.The action was subtle, but Weiss felt the first crack in her heart appear.

Was Ruby worried that Weiss would try to kiss her again?Was she maintaining distance as a message that the contact was unwanted - that she didn’t want anything to do with kissing Weiss ever again?

The thought rooted Weiss’ feet to the ground, paralyzing her limbs and preventing her from trying to step forward.

“Ruby, I -” 

Her voice was pleading now - begging Ruby to reach out to her, to cross this insufferable gulf between them.But before she could speak, Ruby held up a hand to silence her.

“Can I...can I say something first?” Ruby asked, looking so uncertain and uncomfortable that Weiss swallowed thickly in apprehension before nodding.

Shifting between her feet, Ruby opened and closed her mouth several times in search of the words to say.With each passing second, Weiss dreaded what was to come even more.Her heart was unprepared for rejection...

“I’m sorry I didn’t text you this morning,” Ruby said, looking off to the side and refusing to make eye contact.“I just...I needed some time to get my thoughts together and figure out what I wanted to say...”

“That’s…”

The word ‘ok’ died on Weiss’ tongue, refusing to be released into the cold air.

“I understand,” she whispered instead, following Ruby’s gaze towards the skyscrapers only to realize that she was staring at one of the many buildings Weiss’ family owned.Did Ruby know that it was Schnee Tower - was that why she looked that way?Was it a reminder that they came from different worlds?Was that the reason why their friendship was doomed from the start?

While Weiss’ mind swam with doubt and sadness, Ruby suddenly turned back to her with clear, determined eyes.

“I wanted to apologize…f-for what happened yesterday.”

Why did it hurt so much...that Ruby was going to say it was just a big mistake?That was one of the same thoughts Weiss had been having, but somehow…her heart protested the idea with a stab of pain.

Maybe she’d hoped that it hadn’t been a mistake...

“I never... _never_ should’ve taken advantage of you like that.”

Weiss’ brow furrowed in confusion at those words - which were not at all what she’d been expecting.That wasn’t what she’d expected _at all_ …and it didn’t make sense. _She_ was the one who’d taken advantage of Ruby’s kindness. _She_ was the one who sprung her feelings on the poor girl - not the other way around.

“Taken advantage?” her lips asked, her mind still struggling to figure out what Ruby possibly meant.

“Yes!” Ruby responded with much more vigor, running one hand through her short hair in apparent frustration.“I mean...you were super vulnerable, and I should’ve just been a shoulder to cry on.Instead, I let my feelings take over and did something unacceptable.I’m like...I’m just a complete idiot.” 

Visibly upset, Ruby spun away and directed that silver gaze back towards the moon and the stars.Weiss’ eyes followed Ruby, latching onto one specific part of that explanation while her heart sped up.

The next question was a struggle to force from her mouth - for fear that the answer might unravel what small amount of poise she still clung to.

“Your...feelings...?”

Ruby’s eyes darted back to Weiss before flitting away.Shoving both hands deep into her jacket pockets, Ruby shuffled her feet.The question made Ruby uncomfortable, but Weiss grasped onto it like the string of a kite - hoping, praying for a gust of wind to lift her right off the ground.

“Uh...well, yeah…” Ruby answered, shifting back and forth while avoiding any of Weiss’ attempts to make eye contact.“I mean, I kind of...really like you...so uh…” 

Ruby’s voice trailed off, and she finally met Weiss’ gaze while the confession hung in the air between them - thicker and _much_ more visible than their frozen breaths. 

Even though Weiss had heard it...even though she could _see_ it in Ruby’s eyes...she couldn’t believe it. 

‘ _Really like you_.’

As much as she’d thought about the situation, and as many scenarios she’d laid out, there was _one_ outcome she’d steadfastly refused to consider.That possibility had been locked in an iron vice, never to be released.

Until that possibility became reality.

Turmoil couldn’t begin to describe how she felt right now.Still holding onto the string of that kite, it wasn’t a gust of wind that pulled her feet off the ground - it was a tornado.

“Ruby, I - I’m....”

Her voice was strangled, and her heart beat painfully while one hand subconsciously went to her finger - the same finger where the diamond ring had just been. 

God, how she wished it wasn’t true.She would give anything in the world - _anything_ \- for it to be a lie - for the chance to admit her feelings out loud.For the chance to say ‘I like you too.’

“Engaged - I know…” Ruby finished for her, looking disheartened once again.

“I know it’s stupid, but I can’t help it!You’re so amazing and funny and kind….spending time with you is like the _best_ thing ever.I could spend every day with you, seriously, and never get bored.And hugging you, and kissing you - ok, I might not have anything to compare it to, but that was pretty incredible.”

Weiss could do nothing but stare at Ruby in shell-shocked astonishment.It was one thing for _her_ to think those things, but to hear them spoken aloud...and about _her_...

“And now I’ve made you uncomfortable,” Ruby wailed, responding to Weiss’ frozen posture and wide eyes before rushing on.“I’m sorry…I never should’ve said anything _or_ done anything.Let’s just forget it ever happened and be friends - these feelings will go away -”

“No!”

Weiss’ raised her hand in the air between them, signaling Ruby to cease the rapid words so that she could take a few seconds to think.Her cheeks flushed from her unexpected and passionate shout, unsure where that resolve had come from but not regretting its result.

No one had ever confessed to her like this.Actually, she was pretty sure no one had ever felt this way about her before.And she’d certainly never been referred to as funny or kindhearted…

Ruby watched Weiss closely - waiting for some sort of response, her silver eyes filled with innocent hope.

_Now_ was when Weiss needed to find the words that had eluded her all day. _Now_ was when she needed to respond and find a way for them to move forward from here.

“First...first of all,” she said, shaking her head at the stammer but continuing on regardless.“You did _not_ take advantage of me, so take that thought right out of your mind.”

“But -”

“No,” she interrupted before Ruby could argue, her hand still raised in the air while she spoke.“I’m old enough to control my emotions to _some_ degree, ok?”

Ruby bit her bottom lip but nodded in understanding.

“Good,” Weiss replied with a nod of her own.“And about...your, well, how you feel…”

Her words trailed off as she struggled to decide what she wanted to say.The ‘right’ path was illuminated before her - the proper thing to do - the _Schnee_ thing to do.

They couldn’t be together forever.They couldn’t have a ‘happily ever after.’There was a definitive end date for all of this - and it grew nearer as they spoke.But the words ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘this won’t work’ refused to march themselves off the tip of her tongue.She didn’t want Ruby to think...she _couldn’t_ let Ruby think that she didn’t feel the same way. 

But she couldn’t put the words she _wanted_ to say out into the air between them.Lending voice to such thoughts would give far too much strength to the feelings she futilely struggled to reign in.

She was stuck.She knew what she wanted now, but she could never have it.At least, she couldn’t have it for very long.

Dropping her hand onto the front of Ruby’s jacket, Weiss grabbed a fistful of the downy material and pulled the girl into her - crashing their lips together in a kiss. 

Just like yesterday, the contact scorched through her veins with fire - sending bolts of electricity tingling across her skin.Any doubts of the action were quickly erased from her mind as she lost herself in Ruby’s arms - with Ruby returning the kiss eagerly now.The heat between them grew stronger, accelerating as their lips clashed with more and more passion.

Less driven by surprise than the day before, Weiss savored every bit of this moment - the soft, strikingly-hot feeling of Ruby’s lips and tongue moving against her own...the enveloping warmth provided by hands that slid up and down her sides, her neck, her waist...leaving a burning hot trail whenever they’d just been and tingling anticipation wherever they were headed...

Her own gloved hands became bolder, threading their way through brunette hair before sliding down to the back of Ruby’s neck - the slightest pressure there bringing Ruby even closer.

Giving in completely, Weiss wrapped both arms around Ruby’s neck, pulling their bodies flush together as they shared every shred of warmth on this frozen rooftop with one another - creating additional waves of heat at the same time.

It was this way - through touch - that Weiss told Ruby what she couldn’t bring herself to say through words.That Ruby wasn’t the only one with those feelings - Weiss felt them too.Fondness, affection, desire…all of those emotions and more had been buried in the most guarded places in her heart. 

But they’d just been released - and rejoiced in the rose-scented embrace Weiss found herself wrapped in.There was no way she’d ever get them back into their hiding places, not after experiencing this connection - not after creating a bond unlike anything she’d felt before.

But maybe she could let them be free...just for tonight.


	17. Chapter 17

Weiss had never been a fan of those cheesy, predictable romance films everyone seemed to enjoy.The hopeless fall, the inescapable attraction, the happily ever after...she never understood how they applied to real life.They weren’t _realistic_ \- they were improbable representations of what everyone _wished_ romance could be, not what it truly was. 

But recently, she’d started to think that maybe the writers of such frivolous stories were on to something.

How long had she and Ruby stayed atop the tower, generating enough heat between the two of them to withstand the cold?How did every shade of the color red immediately bring Ruby to mind - and a smile at the same time?How was it possible for one person to take up so much of Weiss’ thoughts?

It didn’t seem possible - it didn’t seem _realistic_ \- yet it was true.

It was only after she’d poured her heart out to Ruby through her lips that the fire within her died down to a smoldering ember - still very much alive, but safely contained within the walls of her heart, to be rekindled at a later time.

Every second of their night together lingered on her skin like an invisible tattoo - presenting itself to her every time she moved.Something as simple as a soft breath of air would raise goosebumps on her arms, as if Ruby’s hand had just passed across her once again.

Somehow, this constant reminder of Ruby wasn’t enough - the floodgates had opened, and Weiss burned for more.More touching, more kissing, more _everything_.

It was terrifying and exhilarating - unsettling and intoxicating.

It was like nothing she ever could have imagined.

It was indecent and improper, but neither of those words registered when she was in Ruby’s presence.There was no such thing as too much, too little, too fast, or too slow - there was only Ruby. 

That didn’t mean Weiss couldn’t feel the crushing weight of her actions.She did - she most assuredly did.The second she found herself sitting in the back of the limousine for the solitary drive back to her home, the situation grew more somber.And when she slipped the extravagant engagement ring back onto her finger, her happiness left her.

They couldn’t be together.It could never be.The expiration date for her freedom had already been set.

What she was discovering, however, was that an addiction like this wasn’t so easy to cure - her burning desires overruling the whims of pragmatism.Even though she understood what she’d gotten herself into, she couldn’t keep herself from falling further and further into Ruby’s embrace.

Which was why Weiss was headed to Ruby’s apartment instead of sitting at home pouring over the confirmed guest list.Which was why she was, once again, liberating herself of the infernal band locked around her finger. 

When the vehicle glided to a stop in front of the building, Weiss felt her excitement triumphing over her worries.

“Please wait here,” she instructed the driver as she stepped out onto the sidewalk, remembering to bring Ruby’s jacket with her. 

Rushing through the cold and into the familiar lobby, she pressed the button to call an elevator to the ground floor.Once it arrived, she stepped calmly inside and waited for her exit on the fifth floor, holding the neatly-folded coat in both hands. 

Her controlled movements camouflaged the nerves coursing through her body, allowing her to appear to be a model of grace while suffering from an infection of butterflies.Taking a deep breath, she tried to release the air in a slow, steady stream to prove that she wasn’t anxious.Instead, it rushed out in jagged puffs of air, uneven in every sense of the word.

She didn’t know why she was so nervous...it was just Ruby, after all.

Actually, it was _Ruby_ , after all.And Weiss had never been on a real date before...not that this was an actual date. 

Or was it?

Shaking her head as the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and made her way to Ruby’s apartment.Coming to a stop in front of the door, she raised one hand, took another deep breath, and knocked three times.

She was nervous but excited at the same time.Yet, she’d never been so eager to do something she was unsure about.

“Ohhh wonder who that could be?” a teasing voice rang out from the other side of the door after her knock faded from the air.

“Yang!Let me get it!”

A second later, Yang ripped open the front door against her younger sister’s wishes - the grin on her face immediately disappearing to make way for confusion.

“Weiss?What’re you doing here?I thought Ruby said -”

At that moment, the aforementioned brunette forcefully shoved Yang out of the doorway.

“Ok, ready to go!” Ruby said, grabbing a set of keys off the table by the door before waving at her sister, who was now watching them with narrowed eyes.

“Don’t wait up!” Ruby shouted as she stepped out into the hallway with Weiss, pulling the door shut behind her.

“Believe me, I will,” came Yang’s muffled response as the door clicked shut.

At some point in the last few seconds, Weiss’ feet had frozen to the floor, unable to move in Ruby’s presence.There was something different about her today - something lighter, happier, more beautiful...

“Oh, my coat!”

The exclamation snapped Weiss from her thoughts, finding Ruby already reaching forward to relieve her of the item.Looking back and forth between the closed door and the superfluous jacket, Ruby hung it on the door handle rather than take it inside.

“Someone will put it away later,” Ruby said when she noticed the confused expression Weiss gave her.“Shall we go?

“After you,” Weiss replied, walking with Ruby to the elevator so the two of them could make their way downstairs.

“How was your day?” Weiss asked as they stepped into the elevator.

“Ohhh man, so much happened!”

With a single sentence, Ruby got Weiss to smile in expectation of what was to come.

“I woke up early - well you know that, since I texted you - but somehow was late to class!I tried to sneak in, but my professor totally called on me the second I was in the door.”

Weiss grimaced at the thought of being late to class, but Ruby was unperturbed by this part of the story.

“He asked me to answer a question, but I had no idea what the question even was!Thankfully, Penny was sitting right there and mouthed the answer to me.”Ruby laughed then, shaking her head as the elevator arrived at the lower level with a soft ding.“He was totally miffed!But he couldn’t say anything because I got the answer right!”

Weiss shook her head as they walked outside and were immediately greeted by a gust of cold air.

“Sounds like you got away with one there,” she replied, smiling at the thought of Ruby scrambling into class late but somehow not getting in trouble. 

“That’s what friends are for, right??”

When Weiss laughed at the response, the chauffeur gave her a second glance before opening the passenger door.Sometimes it was hard not to laugh though.Something about the way Ruby talked - with every other sentence ending with an exclamation point - made everything more exciting and...happy.

“God, and then I had lunch,” Ruby continued as she got into the limousine with Weiss close behind.“I dunno if I can even call it that.It was more like...a living dinosaur.”

Weiss burst into laughter at the unexpected comment, the happy sound drawing another curious gaze from the driver in the front seat while Ruby beamed.

“It was a worthy foe…” Ruby added, leaning back in her seat and patting her stomach.“But no wonder dinosaurs are extinct.”

When Weiss laughed harder, Ruby only looked more pleased - as if she was really proud to have made Weiss laugh.

“Uh, where to, Miss?” the chauffeur asked from the front seat, sounding hesitant to interrupt her laughter but needing instructions on where to go.

“Vale Ice,” Weiss replied, smiling when Ruby made a soft squeal of excitement. 

The limousine pulled away from the curb, and a temporary silence fell over them as they settled in for the short drive ahead.The world outside the window drew Weiss’ enraptured attention as she tried to pretend that she didn’t notice the way Ruby was staring at her.

“You look great...by the way.”

The compliment instantly drew her gaze from outside, finding Ruby glancing over with a bashful blush on her cheeks.

“I…um, thank you...”

Weiss was already flustered.They’d been together for all of _two_ minutes, and she’d already lost the ability to form coherent sentences.Hopefully, she’d regain the ability to speak like a proper person when they arrived at Vale Ice - the city's largest and most popular ice skating rink. 

With how cold it was outside, she had no idea why they were going _ice_ skating.But she’d let Ruby decide their activity and would never dream of shooting down such an enthusiastic choice - even though she had suggested they just throw a bucket of water on the ground and skate on that when it froze seconds later.

It wasn’t much longer that they were let out into the cold and hurried into the giant arena - greeted by a large, enclosed space.The ice housed in the middle of the building made the air inside cool, but not too chilling.It was moderately busy this evening - filled by the sounds of people talking, laughing, and the constant scratching of metal against ice.

“Wait right here,” Ruby said, leaving Weiss amidst the many wooden benches outside the oval rink in favor of dashing to the front counter. 

Doing as instructed, Weiss sat down on the closest bench and watched Ruby speak eagerly with the girl at the counter before paying.Seconds later, the employee handed Ruby two pairs of skates and sent the girl running back to her.

“Hereee you go!” Ruby said with a grin while handing over a pair of ice skates. 

Accepting the skates, Weiss turned them over to find the small red number imprinted on the back of the heel.

“How do you know my size?” she asked while Ruby sat down and removed her shoes.

“I was talking about not having any nice shoes, and you asked me what size I wore, remember?Then I asked you what size _you_ wore and committed it to memory!”

“Ah...well, good memory.”

It was more than a good memory - anyone could remember a shoe size if they wanted to.It was the ‘wanting to’ part that made Weiss feel foolishly light inside...loving that something so small and trivial had been important enough for Ruby to remember.

As Ruby put on her skates, Weiss looked down at the pair in her own hands - her nose wrinkling slightly at their appearance.

The metal blade at the bottom appeared sharp, likely maintained nearly every day, but that’s where the upkeep on these items stopped.The once-pearly white material had dulled from overuse, now with more than a few scratches and nicks flawing its complexion.One end of the bright orange laces appeared to have had been chewed off by a rabid creature, and the soles were heavily worn out.

She glanced at Ruby, who was already in the process of lacing her skates up.Ruby had no issue wearing something a hundred other people had already put their feet in.

Turning back to the skates, Weiss felt her brow furrow.She’d never worn something that someone else had worn before her...unless playing dress up with her mother’s clothing when she was a child counted.

“Do you need help?” 

Ruby was laced up and ready to go, so was looking at Weiss now - watching her ponder over the ice skates.

“Oh, I…”

“Here, let me help you,” Ruby offered before Weiss could finish whatever excuse she’d been about to say.

Kneeling down on the squishy, black matting in front of her, Ruby took the skates from Weiss’ hands and set them on the ground to prepare them.She watched Ruby’s fingers quickly loosen the laces before holding one skate out towards her right foot.Taking the initiative that she should remove her shoes, she did so and allowed Ruby to gently slide the skate onto her foot.

Carefully lowering Weiss’ heel to the ground, Ruby leaned over her foot to tie the laces, strands of brunette hair falling into the girl’s eyes.

“Trick is, you need to tie them nice and tight,” Ruby mumbled while pulling each inch of the laces a little tighter.“Otherwise, your ankles won’t stay straight.”

Tying a cute bow on top, Ruby looked up at Weiss with silver eyes filled with questions.

“Does that feel ok?Not too tight?”

Taking a second to wiggle her toes and test the pressure, Weiss shook her head - the answer making Rub grin before beginning the same process with the left skate. 

Biting her lip, Weiss watched Ruby closely, a tiny jolt of electricity running through her foot when Ruby’s hand grazed her ankle as the second skate slipped on.Was it just her imagination, or had something between them shifted?

It felt the same, yet different.Impossibly, more exciting than it had already been.They seemed to stand closer; there are more brushes of contact that made Weiss blush.She caught herself staring more often, she felt a much stronger urge for physical contact, and suddenly found herself daydreaming, _often,_ of kissing.And when Ruby spoke...she leaned really close, lowering her voice as if everything they said was a secret - something that the outside world couldn’t be allowed to hear.

Feeling a pat on the sides of her new ‘shoes,’ Weiss looked down and found Ruby had already finished and was standing up.

“Ok, how do they feel?” Ruby asked while grabbing Weiss’ hands and pulling her off the bench.

Ruby’s concern for Weiss’ comfort was very sweet...although maybe they should be more concerned about the various foot diseases they were likely contracting from these rental skates.Still, that little detail didn’t diminish the obvious care displayed for her happiness.

“Snug, but not too tight,” she answered with a smile that Ruby returned in kind.

“Perfect!Then we’re ready to go!”

Ruby took Weiss’ hand as they slowly walked to the small gate allowing people on and off the ice.Their footsteps were awkward from treading upon the squishy material flooring the common area, but eventually they made it to the railing of the rink.After waiting for a few people coming off the ice to pass them by, Ruby held the little door open and motioned Weiss through before her.

Carefully stepping onto the ice, Weiss made sure to maintain a firm grip on the railing while she got her footing.Ruby hopped onto the ice behind her and closed the door with a soft ‘click’ as the latch fell back into place.

Now, Weiss wasn’t _horrible_ at ice skating.She’d done this a handful of times before (always with a pair of skates her parents purchased for her) and had gotten to the point where she could be trusted not to fall every other second.However, she was nowhere near good enough to be sprinting around the rink, spinning in pirouettes and stopping on a dime.

“ _How_ are you so good at this?”

Her tone carried an ounce of chagrin as she stared at her companion. 

Despite her misgivings, she _had_ been raised a Schnee - and the number of times she’d been so clearly bested at something could be counted on one hand.

But it was difficult to remain vexed when her answer was accompanied by an adorable giggle and sweet grin - Ruby spinning gracefully around in front of her and skating backward while replying.

“One winter, there was this really cute girl working here -”

“Oh.” 

Weiss instantly regretted asking the question and, suddenly, didn’t even want to hear the rest of the answer. 

“That _Yang_ had a huge crush on,” Ruby continued with an even wider grin.“Anyway, she dragged me here basically every day because ‘going alone would be obvious.’I ended up getting pretty good - of course, Yang still can’t skate a wink because she spent all her time flirting at the front desk.”

“Ah…” 

Why did that answer make Weiss feel so much better?Ruby was allowed to think other girls were cute.Weiss just...really didn’t want to hear about them.It made her envious in a way she couldn’t quantify - where the idea of buying the entire building and instituting a ‘male only’ employee code seemed to make rational sense.

Ruby skated back beside Weiss and nudged her playfully in the side, nearly knocking her off balance on her extremely wobbly legs.Thankfully, Ruby caught her by the arm and steadied her before they continued onward at the more leisurely pace Weiss set.

“Would this ‘cute girl’ happen to be Blake?” she asked, her eyes trained on the ice in front of her.

Ruby laughed at the question, privy to knowledge Weiss didn’t have. 

“Nope.Just another of Yang’s little flings...”

“Really?I was under the impression she hadn’t dated anyone before Blake,” she commented in genuine surprise as they continued their slow crawl around the edge of the ice skating rink.

“She didn’t, really.Nothing ever went past a date or two.She was much more a catch and release type of girl.”

“Then how did she end up with Blake?”

“Oh, that’s a good story!” Ruby practically squealed, clapping her hands in excitement while doing a little stutter step that would’ve sent Weiss crashing to the ice in a heartbeat.“Ok, ok, so they met...in a library.”

“Um…”

“Hold on, that’s not the good part!” Ruby said, giggling at Weiss’ questioning glance.“It was the end of first semester - right around this time, actually - when Yang was trying to find one of the more obscure libraries on campus for a particular book.But because she hadn’t set foot in a library all semester, she got herself lost in the wrong library.Naturally, she picked the most attractive girl she could find to ask for directions - which happened to be Blake.”

“And Blake fell victim to her charms - happily ever after?” Weiss guessed, knowing full well how magnetic Yang could be when putting forth the effort.

“Nnnnope!” Ruby said with a grin.“Blake gave her directions and sent her on her way.Now, if you ask Yang, she’ll tell you she was just ‘planting a seed’ and was _intentionally_ being aloof.But if you ask Blake, she’ll tell you that Yang couldn’t string two words together and was blushing like a fool.”

That image made Weiss laugh out loud.Yang seemed perfectly capable of flirting with anyone and everyone, so the idea of someone making _her_ flustered seemed almost too good to be true.

“Losing her superpower must’ve been a real surprise for her,” she commented with a smirk, right before Ruby caught her arm when she nearly tripped and fell again.

Damn bumps in the ice...

“It was!So, she went back the next day to try to find Blake, but Blake wasn’t there.She went back day after day with no luck at all.”

Weiss was more interested now - drawn into the story - or, at least, drawn into the way Ruby was telling it. 

“Where did Blake go?”

“Well, turns out she didn’t like that library very much once ‘idiot’ people preparing for finals started showing up all the time, so she was spending her free time at a different one.”

“Oh, of course,” Weiss commented with a laugh, Ruby again catching her by the arm when her skates wobbled a little too much.“Then how did they finally meet?” 

Ruby was enjoying the role of storyteller, which was quite cute, in Weiss’ opinion.The enthusiastic energy certainly made the tale more engrossing.

“One _fateful_ night,” Ruby began, waving both hands in front of her while doing another small hop on her skates.“Yang spotted Blake on the opposite side of the quad - the quad filled with partying college students celebrating the end of semester at the Vale Bash Concert.Yang didn’t know her name so she couldn’t call out, not like Blake would hear over the noise of the people and the band.So, she did what any _normal_ person would do and…”

From Ruby’s look, Weiss could tell that she was supposed to guess the answer.Which, knowing Yang, was remarkably obvious. 

“She ran after her,” she answered, earning a nod in response.

“She ran after her!” Ruby exclaimed, throwing her hands up in emphasis.“She’s pushing through the crowd, getting drinks spilled on her, tripping over someone’s foot and getting grass stains on her knees...even taking an elbow to the nose!”

“Ouch…”

“Yeah...but!She caught up to Blake.She caught her by the arm and turned her around -”

It may be dumb, but Weiss held her breath while waiting for what came next - eager to know what words had sparked the relationship the two girls carried on to this day.

“And she said...‘I don’t know you - and you don’t know me - but I think we should know each other.’”

A snort of amusement escaped her.

“How eloquent,” she said with a chuckle, able to picture the entire thing.“And Blake said yes to that?”

“Well...just when Blake was about to answer, Yang got hit in the head by a volleyball - it knocked her out cold.”

“You’re kidding me.” 

Weiss glanced sideways to make sure Ruby wasn’t making this up, only to find Ruby openly laughing.

“I’m so serious!Knocked her clean out.But when she came to, she was in the campus clinic and guess who was there with her?”

Weiss smiled as she answered, warm fuzzy feelings expanding in her chest.

“Blake was there.”

“Yup!Blake was sitting by the bed reading a book while waiting for Yang to wake up.And when she did, Blake set her book down, leaned over, and said: ‘You’re right, I think we should know each other.I think we should know each other really well.’”

As the words trailed off, Ruby nodded one with finality - the story completed.It left Weiss with a pleasant glow - like one behind after reading a fairy tale, only with the knowledge that this one had happened in real life. 

True romance - love at first sight - happily ever after - the cheesy romantic comedy - it actually happened for Yang and Blake.And it was plain to see how happy they were, even after all this time.It was amazing really - how a few chance meetings could combine to create something so magical...

“And the rest is history!” Ruby exclaimed after a few seconds of silence had passed, before jumping out in front to resume skating backward (or showing off, as Weiss had decided).

“So, do you wanna try skating faster?”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea…” Weiss replied warily, trying to ignore the silver eyes sparkling with hope.

“Come on, I’ll guide you!” Ruby reassured her, reaching out and grabbing her hands.

She immediately pulled away, suddenly extremely self-aware of who might be watching their interaction and how the gesture could be construed.

“Ruby…” 

But Ruby wasn’t disheartened in the slightest by Weiss’ reaction.Instead, she just reached out and retook Weiss’ hands.

“Relax, Weiss - it’s normal for people to hold hands while ice skating.Just look around!” 

Following Ruby’s advice, Weiss turned to each side and found that many other people were indeed holding hands - some clear couples, but others doing the same thing Ruby was trying to do - one person pulling the other or just offering support so someone wouldn’t fall. 

Resolved to being incorrect, Weiss dropped her resistance and allowed Ruby to draw her hands closer - grinning from her most recent success at convincing Weiss to go along with something new or unusual.

Tightly squeezing Weiss’ hands, Ruby skated skillfully backward - steadily gaining momentum while pulling Weiss along the ice with her.Every so often, Ruby looked over her shoulder to make sure she was guiding them in the right direction, but otherwise she refused to stop grinning at Weiss.

It was no surprise that Ruby enjoyed traveling far faster than the sluggish pace they’d been maintaining.But they were now going faster than Weiss had ever skated before - sliding smoothly along while the ice disappeared underneath their skates.All she had to do was make sure she kept her ankles straight and they moved seamlessly together - Ruby pushing harder and harder to pick up even more speed.

While Ruby smiled, Weiss let out a laugh - finding that she was enjoying herself immensely.The laughter only made Ruby’s smile grow larger as they flew around the rink, swiftly passing the slower skaters sticking near the outer wall.

It was invigorating - blazing around the ice while the cold air drifted up from beneath their feet.With their surroundings becoming nothing more than a blur, it was easy to imagine it was only the two of them there today.And with Ruby looking at her so intently...

In the blink of an eye, Weiss gasped when another skater unexpectedly fell directly behind Ruby.There was no time to get out words of warning, but her expression must have been enough for Ruby to sense something was wrong.At the very last second, Ruby caught sight of the man and swerved harshly to the side to avoid hitting him.

And they did manage to avoid crashing into him, but Ruby ended up sticking a skate in the ice - the abrupt stop sending her falling backward, their joined hands taking Weiss down right after her.

Weiss heard Ruby hit the ground with a crack - right before she landed directly on top of the girl, forcing a loud ‘oomph’ of air from Ruby’s lungs.

Pressing her hands to the ice on either side of Ruby’s head, Weiss pushed herself to her hands and knees so as not to crush the poor girl.Fear immediately put a vice grip around her heart when she found Ruby’s face tilted away from her, eyes closed. 

“Ruby?”

Panic coursed through her veins as she pressed one ear to Ruby’s chest, struggling to hear any sound from within.Only after hearing the steady pounding of a heartbeat did she straighten up, just in time to see silver eyes fluttering open.Letting out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, she felt hot tears sting at her eyes as adrenaline forced itself to the surface.

For just that instant, she’s never felt so powerless…and now she could only watch in relief while Ruby blinked repeatedly.

“Are you ok?”

Weiss looked towards the strange male voice - finding the man who had fallen looking at them in concern.

“I’m fine…” Ruby mumbled with a small wave before closing her eyes and lifting a hand to the back of her head.

“Ow…”

Deciding that she needed to get Ruby somewhere safe, Weiss tried pushing herself up to her feet - only for long arms to wrap around her shoulders and lock her in place.

“Ruby?” she asked, looking down to find the girl still had her eyes closed.

“I just want to stay here for a little while…” Ruby said quietly, not bothering to open her eyes.

“Ruby, we need to get you up,” Weiss replied forcefully, trying to wriggle her way out of Ruby’s arms, to no avail.For someone who’d just crashed into the ice, Ruby was still surprisingly strong.

When there was no response, Weiss relented and allowed Ruby to pull her even closer - the two of them now lying on the ice together.She could hear Ruby’s steady breathing from this distance and took comfort in the slow rise and fall of her chest.

After a few moments, Ruby was the one who broke the silence.

“It’s really cold...laying on ice…”

A disgruntled noise came out of Weiss as she shoved herself to her feet - nearly losing her balance but windmilling her arms to stay upright.Ruby giggled at the sight, although the sound was much less enthusiastic and bubbly than usual.

“Come here,” Weiss ordered, grabbing Ruby’s hands and managing to pull the girl up without falling over herself. 

Once they were both up, she gently held Ruby by the elbow and led them over to the small latched door to exit the rink.Popping it open, she let Ruby step through first before following closely behind - retaking the girl’s elbow and leading her towards the nearest empty bench.

Lacking much of her usual energy, Ruby sat down obediently when the seat was pointed out to her.

“God, you probably have a concussion…” Weiss fretted, unsure of what she should do now.Her gut instinct told her to call a doctor - or better yet, buy a doctor.Maybe several doctors.A hospital even.

A small groan brought her attention screaming back to Ruby, who was gingerly touching the back of her head.Leaning forward, Weiss rested one hand on Ruby’s shoulder while intently looking into silver eyes.

“Are you ok?Should I go get you some -”

“Ice?” Ruby cut in with a grin.

Weiss blinked at the response but relaxed into a smile when Ruby giggled.At least she was behaving the same...

“I think I’m gonna have a huge bump on my head…” 

“Here, let me feel.”

Swiping Ruby’s hand away, Weiss lightly put her fingers to the spot Ruby had just been touching.And there was a bump already growing. 

Looking down, Weiss suddenly realized that she was practically sitting in Ruby’s lap - silver eyes watching her intently, their breathing slowing down in anticipation of...something.Dropping her hand, she moved to a more respectable distance.

“You fell pretty hard…” she said, feeling a flush appear on her cheeks.

“Yeah, I kinda did,” Ruby replied, still staring at her.

“It’s going to hurt tomorrow.”

The comment made Ruby laugh, a comforting sound. 

“But it hurts today!”

Weiss shook her head at the comment but smiled at Ruby’s continued sense of humor.

“We should get you home now.”

“Noooo…” Ruby instantly whined, grabbing Weiss’ hands to prevent her from moving away.“I’m fine, I swear.I don’t want to make you leave already!”

“Ruby, did you not just hear how hard you hit the ice?” Weiss asked, grimacing as she remembered the sound herself.

“I have a thick skull!” Ruby replied, grinning a little too proudly at that comment.“Really, I’ll be fine!”

Biting her lip, Weiss considered her options.She could cave, and they could continue skating even though Ruby had just taken the fall of the century - during which time Weiss would be freaking out that something else might happen.Or she could do the responsible thing and get Ruby somewhere safe and warm where no further harm could befall her.

Of course, Ruby would refuse to leave if Weiss said it was for her own benefit, but maybe…

“Actually, I’m feeling a little tired too,” Weiss said, her words temporarily creasing Ruby’s brow in confusion before a miniscule hint of relief appeared in her eyes.

“Oh, well if you’re tired, we can go...don’t want to wear you out!”

Smiling, Weiss couldn’t help feeling incredibly lucky to have someone like Ruby in her life.Even when Ruby was in need of something, she put Weiss’ happiness first.But even though she would have liked to continue their evening out together, it wasn’t worth risking Ruby’s well being.Not by a long shot.

Opposite of how they’d started this venture, Weiss was the one to remove Ruby’s skates before pulling off her own and collecting their shoes from the front counter.

“Come on, Turbo,” Weiss said after they’d re-donned their normal attire, linking arms with Ruby and pulling her to her feet.“Let’s get you home.”

“They call me Turbo...Ruby Turbo….” Ruby growled in a gravelly voice on the way out - slowly making their way to the vehicle waiting outside in the cold. 

Shortly after that, they were back in the elevator of Ruby’s building, waiting to be let out on the fifth floor.Weiss had insisted upon seeing Ruby all the way to the apartment - still worried that she might have a possible concussion even after being assured multiple times that it was nothing serious.

But Weiss couldn’t be consoled by words right now.

When they stepped into the hallway and she saw that it was empty, she reached down and took Ruby’s hand for the brief walk to the door - the small contact sending her heart off to the races while simultaneously stilling some of her nerves.As long as Ruby’s hand was warm - as long Ruby’s hand was within her own - everything would be ok.

“I had a great time...minus the tremendous fall,” Ruby said as they reached the door to the apartment - lifting one hand to touch the bump on her head only to flinch again.

Weiss brushed Ruby’s hand away and felt again for the bump with her own fingers, frowning when she found it.It felt larger now, but thankfully hadn’t grown alarmingly large.

“You should be more careful,” she whispered, the chastise sounding more like a plea than anything else.If something happened to Ruby...

“I really should be…” Ruby responded just as quietly, gazing at Weiss intently while she absentmindedly ran her fingers through brunette hair - enjoying the soft feeling on her fingertips while caught in a silver gaze.

The way Ruby’s eyes fixed upon her - unwavering and eager - made Weiss’ heart speed up.Desire bloomed within her, growing to match what was plainly visible in seas of silver.With one hand still threaded in Ruby’s hair, she knew that she could easily pull Ruby forward, just a few inches closer and they…

The door beside them suddenly opened - the abrupt movement making Weiss jump backward in surprise.

“I thought I heard voices!” Yang said with a smile after sticking her head out into the hall and spotting them.“Glad you made it back!”

Ruby smiled at Weiss, disappointment surely readable in both of their expressions.

“Come on, Rubster - we _might_ have ordered dessert, and there just _might_ be some left for you.”

The news brought a happy squeal of joy out of Ruby’s lips before she turned back to Weiss with shimmering eyes.

“Thank you for coming out with me tonight, Weiss!I’ll talk to you really soon, ok?”

After Weiss nodded, Ruby wrapped her in a quick hug before disappearing inside - the moment ending before she could even react to Ruby’s embrace.

Lost in thought, Weiss watched Ruby run through the living room and disappear through the doorway to the kitchen to claim whatever sweets were left.

“You two have fun?” 

The question brought Weiss’ eyes back to Yang.Yang leaned casually against the doorframe - arms crossed over her chest with a smile on her lips - but something in her eyes suggested there was much more to the question than what met the eye. 

And there was a hint of suspicion in the tone that Weiss didn’t appreciate very much.

“Yes, we did,” she responded calmly - turning to walk away only to pause and turn back.“But she...she fell and hit her head pretty hard -”

“How did that happen?” Yang asked, her eyes immediately filled with concern as she straightened from her laid-back posture.“Ruby’s a great skater!”

“Someone else fell, and she tried to avoid hitting them…” Weiss explained.“Could you just keep an eye on her for me?”

Receiving a nod in response, she made to leave only to turn back again.

“She could have a concussion, so if you notice her behaving strangely -”

“Relax, Weiss,” Yang interrupted in a reassuring tone.“I don’t know if you’ve noticed yet, but Ruby’s kinda a klutz.I’ve taken care of my fair share of injuries.”

“Right - I wasn’t suggesting - I just wanted to make you aware,” Weiss finished, taking the cue that it was time to take her leave.Receiving another singular nod, she turned and walked quickly back to the elevator, hearing the apartment door close behind her.

Yang was right.She’d taken care of Ruby since they were children - what made Weiss think she was suddenly incapable now?

Offending Yang hadn’t been Weiss’ intention, but was she not allowed to be worried about Ruby’s wellbeing too?She and Ruby were...close friends...and she was allowed to be concerned. 

Weiss was allowed to want to take care of Ruby.She just...wasn’t actually allowed to do so.She would have to settle for monitoring via text messages and maybe a phone call later tonight.

Maybe that should be acceptable, but it didn’t feel like nearly enough.Ruby was incredibly special, and Weiss wanted to be there for everything. 

It hurt that she couldn’t be there...that she couldn’t be Ruby’s everything...


	18. Chapter 18

_What are you doing, Weiss?_

The question had become a daily occurrence ever since she and Ruby first kissed - popping into existence the instant she opened her eyes in the morning and lingering in the back of her mind until she fell asleep at night.

What was she thinking?

This was a horrible path she was traveling - one that led to a painful dead end.And there was no way to slow her speed - the horrible conclusion rushing towards her at an incredible pace.The calendar turned its pages more rapidly than she could ever wish for, marching her stubbornly forward no matter how hard she dug in her heels.

No good would come of this.None at all.

And she _knew_ that.She recognized the situation for what it was: the hopeless endeavor of a fool - a fool who was, for the first time in her life, experiencing the budding thoughts of romance.

But _knowing_ she was a fool didn’t stop her from messaging Ruby anyway - from giggling at Ruby’s goofy responses, from desiring her company, from craving her presence.Something about Ruby pulled Weiss in like a magnetic force, never allowing her to leave the girl’s orbit, no matter how loudly her brain screamed at her to stay away.

If anything, she was only growing _closer_ to Ruby.She’d already become so dependent on Ruby’s constant uplifting chatter that she went nowhere without her phone - not even when walking around her own home.The idea of missing a few lines of communication was painful, especially when each moment they had left together grew more precious by the second - every minute lost being one they would never get back.

And Weiss had the unenviable ability to calculate _exactly_ how much time they had remaining in this blissful existence - down to the minute.

It wouldn’t end well...she’d only end up hurting Ruby and herself...but those thoughts instantly disappeared every time she saw Ruby smile, or heard her laugh, or breathed in the fragrance of rose scented shampoo.

Or heard the now familiar buzz of her phone as a new message arrived.

Holding the device up to her eyes to read the latest text, Weiss smiled at Ruby’s superfluous use of exclamation points to describe the chocolate chip cookie she’d just had with lunch. 

A cookie...seriously, Ruby was easy to please.

Thankfully, that also meant it was easy for Weiss to come up with ways to spoil the girl.If it was cookies Ruby wanted, then cookies she would get - by the boatload, if she wanted them. 

After Weiss replied that she happened to know where to find the _best_ cookies in all of Vale, she glanced up from her phone - looking around for a second in confusion before realizing that her feet had guided her into the downstairs living room.Absentmindedly walking the house with her nose glued to her phone tended to result in her ending up in areas she hardly ventured to - the living room being one of them.

The grand room was hardly ever used.When there were already separate spaces designated as a sitting room, meeting room, and common area, what specific activity would occur in this room?From the name, she surmised that this was where they were supposed to _live_ \- to spend time together as a family and create lasting memories.If that was indeed the purpose, then it was little wonder why she had no memories here.

It was a shame though...it was a beautiful space.Even lack of use couldn’t reduce its magnificence in the slightest.The high, vaulted ceilings were crafted of dark wood and painted in beautiful shades of blue and green with veins of gold running throughout.Nestled amongst the creative designs were tiny sparkles that glittered when the light caught them just right.The gold was gold leaf, she’d been told many times, and the sparkles - those were real diamonds.

‘The million-Lien ceiling,’ she’d heard it called.Of course, the jewels alone cost far more than that, but the name was still fitting.In its opulence, it watched over the dark mahogany furniture placed upon plush area rugs.The light-silver upholstery on the chairs looked brand new, and the various coffee tables and cabinets had not a single speck of dust upon them.

It wasn’t often that Weiss took the time to appreciate the craftsmanship and detail that had gone into creating the place she called home.To her, it seemed less special because they’d merely hired the best interior designers across the globe to shape every room, but if she took a step back - separating herself from her general disdain for money - she could see the care and skill that had gone into every carving, every brushstroke, every diamond’s placement...

Hearing noise through the doorway at one end of the living room, she decided to investigate while still waiting for Ruby’s (hopefully) enthusiastic response to her subtle invitation to go to a bakery together.When she stepped into the main entrance of the mansion, she immediately wished she’d walked the other way.

“Oh, hey Weiss!How’re you doing, sweetie?”

Cringing at the term of endearment, Weiss fought to keep her nose from scrunching in distaste.

“Hello, Jezebel…”

The woman (or girl, more accurately) was always overzealously friendly to her, just as all of her father’s...muses...were.Calling her ‘sweetie,’ ‘sugar,’ ‘honey’...complimenting her hair or outfits...they were the epitome of fake.They wanted nothing more than to ingratiate themselves to her and court more of her father’s favor.

But Weiss was never able to tell if Jezebel’s cheerfulness was fake.It seemed like the woman was too dumb to pretend for any significant amount of time, but maybe that was part of her genius?

“How’s the wedding planning going?”

Weiss stifled the urge to roll her eyes at the young woman’s huge smile.

Jezebel never seemed to understand that Weiss didn’t want to stop and chat.She didn’t want to be best friends, friends, or even acquaintances.There was no purpose in them ‘getting to know one another’ when Jezebel would be replaced in a few months by a newer, younger, more attractive version of herself.

But not liking someone didn’t give Weiss the excuse to be rude.Plus, saying something sarcastic would hardly be worth it, _especially_ if word got back to her father of the infraction - which it undoubtedly would with the way Jezebel blabbered about everything...

“Oh, you know, just waiting for it to be over,” Weiss responded half-heartedly, taking a step towards the stairs as if she might be able to slip away unnoticed.

“I know the feeling!”

Pausing her retreat, Weiss stared at the oblivious smile in confusion. _How_ could Jezebel possibly know what Weiss was talking about?To her knowledge, Jezebel had never been married, nor was she doing much to help with any of the current planning.

Shaking her head, Weiss quickly wrote it off as just another misguided attempt to ‘bond’ or whatever the woman was trying to accomplish with this rather pointless conversation.

“What are the bags for?” she asked, diverting attention away from her by motioning towards the suitcases piled by the front door.

“Oh!Your father and I are going on a business trip!” Jezebel answered, easily filling the massive room with her naive smile. 

“Funny, I didn’t think business trips were that exciting,” Weiss replied dully, the comment succeeding in putting a dent in that outrageous grin.

“Oh, well, it’ll just be nice to get away from Vale for a little while.It can be quite...stifling...here, don’t you think?”

Impressed by the proper use of the word ‘stifling,’ Weiss nodded in understanding - the gesture unfortunately prompting a continuance to the rationale.

“Plus, there’ll be so many new sights to see - and things to try!We’re going to try all the best restaurants.You’ve heard that Atlas has some of the most expensive fish restaurants in the world, right?I know your dad doesn’t like fish _that_ much, but it’d be a shame to-”

Tuning out the words, Weiss nodded every few seconds as if she was still paying attention.

Was it possible to turn off the words once they’d begun?It was as if she’d just stumbled upon the live reading of Jezebel’s diary - something she would never _ever_ want to read. 

How could her father stand the mindless rambling?He was hardly a patient man and certainly didn’t tolerate stupidity.Weiss could only surmise that Jezebel _didn’t_ speak to him like this - which was why the girl felt the need to spew all of this information to her. 

Thankfully, she hadn’t been pacing downstairs for no reason - she had to leave soon for an appointment...if she could survive until that time.

Forced to stand there until then, she listened to Jezebel swoon with excitement, wrapped up in a fictional romance fit for a romance novel.It was a little sad to hear how smitten the young woman was with her father - who, to the best of her knowledge, had not one romantic bone in his body, much less the capability to love someone freely.

Did Jezebel actually believe she wouldn’t be tossed aside like the rest?Did she think she was the only one who’d had the pleasure of going on a ‘business trip’ with the elder Schnee?How many others had Weiss stumbled upon in the same situation - bubbling with joy as they prepared for their golden adventure?And how many disappeared without so much as a word?

Jezebel couldn’t _possibly_ think that this ‘relationship’ had any future.There was no way Weiss’ father would leave his wife for someone like her.

Weiss’ mother was the only child and sole inheritor of the largest shipping company in Remnant - her importance to the Schnee family’s continued dominance was paramount.Her father would never dream of severing that relationship - just like her mother could never dream of leaving without leaving her claim to wealth behind.For it was only through their marriage that she _could_ inherit her family’s fortunes, to begin with.

They were locked together - bound to each other not by love, but by money, power, and duty.

Such was Weiss’ fate with Cardin - forced together out of strategic political connections rather than deep-rooted feelings of love.

But...what if her father _did_ love Jezebel, as the girl seemed to believe?What if the pair were meant to be together?Like the moon and the stars, what if they were fated to be?Would he risk everything for the chance to be with her?Would he put the family name on the line...for love?

The question was discouragingly easy to answer.He wouldn’t.Never in a thousand years would he even consider such a proposal.He would likely laugh at the mere suggestion.

Even if he _did_ love Jezebel - which would be impossible due to his lack of a beating heart - he was a Schnee first and foremost - and protecting the family name came first.The family name _always_ came first.

The sound of heels clicking against marble suddenly drifted over them, turning both their heads at the same time as Weiss’ mother strolled into the foyer - a purse clutched in one hand as she was ready to leave.

“Hello, Jezebel,” the woman said in a frosty tone, her expression anything but hospitable towards the young woman.

The glare her mother reserved for Jezebel was genuinely fearful - making the glares Weiss normally earned for displaying poor manners look like glances of pure affection.

“Hello, Mrs. Schnee,” Jezebel responded respectfully, ducking her head in deference while assuming a much more serious demeanor in a matter of seconds.

And, for a brief moment, Weiss wondered if Jezebel felt...guilty...about the situation.Did she feel sorry for the stress her mere existence thrust upon Weiss’ parent’s relationship?Or did she somehow avoid confronting the side effects of her actions?

Being so caught up in the thrill of the moment, maybe Jezebel was enjoying herself too much to see what her choices did to those around her...what situations they were being forced into.

“Weiss, we should be leaving now.”

Nodding, Weiss gave Jezebel one last parting glance before turning and following her mother outside - receiving the jacket handed to her by a butler and slipping it on before the chill snuck into her bones.

There was already a car waiting out front - the driver standing at attention beside the passenger door.

The employees always treated Weiss’ mother with a heightened amount of respect - whether from fear or immense respect, she didn’t know for sure.But it was evident in the way their postures stiffened as the woman approached, their breathing slowing as they struggled to avoid making a mistake. 

Even if the employees thought Weiss was a spoiled brat, at least they didn’t treat her as if she might tear their head off for forgetting to wipe the car door of fingerprints.Clearly, they knew who held the power to fire them on the spot, and who did not.

After following her mother into the vehicle, Weiss set her hands in her lap and looked out the window as the limousine pulled through the gates of the property and onto the main roads.Stony silence filled the air between them - the likely effect of not speaking to one another since the blowup, exchanging nothing more than pleasantries or nods of acknowledgment when passing in the halls. 

Thinking about it now...this wasn’t very different from how they usually interacted.But there was a dark cloud hovering just above them now - always out of reach, but never out of sight.Was this how it would be from here on out - or at least, until their relationship took another turn for the worse?Would it steadily decline until there was nothing left to save at all - and they went their separate ways without a thread of familiarity or caring between them?

Years ago, Weiss’ mother had given her a necklace - one of the prettiest necklaces she’d ever seen.She’d commented on it while they were out shopping, and the woman had actually remembered and sent someone to purchase it several days later.

Weiss didn’t wear the necklace anymore - because it hurt to compare the woman who’d thought to buy it with the woman sitting in front of her right now.She still had it – hidden somewhere in the back of her jewelry drawer.And, even though that moment was but one teardrop amongst a sea of worse memories, she sometimes pretended that that was the real version of her mother - thoughtful and considerate of the words she said and the desires she expressed.

“Your father will be back before the wedding, in case you’re worried,” her mother finally said, breaking the silence in the vehicle.

“I wasn’t worried,” Weiss replied.Honestly, she probably wouldn’t even notice if the man was there or not - nor did she care if he didn’t attend for ‘personal’ reasons.

“Fool...scheduling a ‘business’ trip so close to the big day…” her mother muttered, the words directed not to her, but to anyone who would listen.There was anger in the tone, a deep-seated resentfulness that would likely never wash out - a stain left by shattered dreams and a never-ending stream of adultery.

It only took the beginnings of the thought ‘what if Ruby...’ for Weiss to feel some of her mother’s jealousy, anger, and sadness.What if Ruby looked at everyone but her?What if Ruby wanted to be with anyone but her - and didn’t even attempt to hide that fact?No matter how beautiful she tried to be - no matter what clothes she wore, or how she styled her hair, or what makeup she wore - what if none of that made any difference?

For the first time in her life, Weiss could almost empathize with what her mother had gone through - _was_ going through.

“Well, she managed to use the word ‘stifling’ correctly, so maybe there’s hope for her yet.”

Her mother let out a laugh at the comment - the sound surprising and jarring at the same time.Weiss stared in amazement at the sight - the woman actually with a smile upon her face for the briefest of instants.And she was...beautiful.

It was gone just as suddenly as it appeared, replaced by the polished, cold exterior the woman had likely spent decades perfecting.But, for that one moment, Weiss had seen a side of her mother she never knew existed.It was the tiniest ray of sunshine filtering through cloudy skies - it was the type of woman her mother could have been, had she been born under a different name.

Unfortunately, some cloudy skies were destined to remain, and there was little that could be done now to wipe her mother’s slate clean - too ingrained was the pain, suffering, hatred.Weiss could only hope and pray she wouldn’t fall victim to the same dismal weather.

The rest of the drive passed in a more comfortable silence - the two of them remaining silent not because they didn’t want to speak to each other, but because they had nothing to say.

Arriving at their destination several minutes later, Weiss obediently followed her mother out of the vehicle and into the small boutique.The bell tied to the door was still jingling when a woman raced over and shook their hands.

“Welcome, welcome!” she said with a bright smile, clasping Weiss’ hand in her own.“And you must be our lovely bride.Come along!We have everything ready for you.”

Without protest, Weiss was whisked into one of the changing rooms and met by the sight of a long, white dress hung on a hanger in front of her.She immediately sighed, but that was all she had time to do before the attendant unzipped the back of the gown and motioned towards Weiss.

“Undress, sweetie, and I’ll help you into this masterpiece.”

This was the last thing Weiss wanted to do right now, but she gave in without a word of complaint.

Several minutes and a lot of help later, she walked out of the dressing room and up onto an elevated section of the showroom floor, very much understanding how a doll must feel when being dressed by its owner.

“Stand still,” the woman ordered.With a measuring tape in her hands and pencil stuck behind one ear, the seamstress buzzed around Weiss, poking and prodding every so often while muttering measurements - the words muffled due to the pins held in the corner of the woman’s mouth.

Left with nothing better to do, Weiss looked around the interior of the store that she’d hardly gotten to see on the way in.Large mirrors standing nearly ten feet tall took up an entire semicircle of her vision, while racks stuffed with dresses occupied the other half of the general display area.Several comfortable white chairs and couches sat near her, creating a viewing area where an audience was carefully watching from. 

The rest of the store was currently empty save for a few other attendants, the store owner, her mother, and the seamstress moving around her in circles.As any good doll would do, Weiss remained as motionless as possible but allowed her mind to drift freely in the momentary peace.

And wander where else but to Ruby?

Realizing that she hadn’t had the opportunity to check her phone in quite some time, Weiss wondered what Ruby was up to right now, at this very moment.Knowing Ruby, she was likely avoiding some responsibility while consuming copious amounts of sugar.

The thought brought a small smile to Weiss’ lips, imagining Ruby stuffing cookies into her mouth while her schoolwork sat unattended to.

When would they see each other next?Ice skating had been incredibly fun, although the end of their evening had been a tad disappointing.Thankfully, Yang followed through on her promise to look after Ruby and had, as Ruby put it, ‘watched her like a drill sergeant on a power trip.’The bump on Ruby’s head was also supposedly going away, but that was something Weiss would believe only when she confirmed it for herself.

The sound of her phone ringing brought Weiss out of her thoughts with a jolt, turning instinctively towards the source of the noise.She earned a needle in the thigh for the sudden movement, but located her phone resting on one of the empty chairs with the rest of her items.

“Would you like me to get that for you?” one of the attendants asked as the ringing continued.

“Yes, please,” she replied, her excitement growing as she thought of who it might be. 

After walking over and retrieving the device, the woman brought it quickly to Weiss.Looking at the name on the screen, she tried to hide a smile as she answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Weiss!Sorry I didn’t respond earlier!” Ruby said, her voice bursting with happy energy.“But uh…I just got out of practice and was wondering if you wanted to get lunch with me?”

“Right now?” Weiss asked, glancing towards the people watching her.“Sorry...I’m out shopping with my mother at the moment…”

She was utterly disappointed at missing an opportunity to spend time with Ruby, but there was no physical way for her to leave this commitment at the moment.

“Oh, that’s ok!It was worth a shot.”

“How about dinner tomorrow?” she asked quickly - knowing she needed to get in the invitation now before Ruby moved onto a completely different subject.“I think we still need to try that taco place.”

This time she allowed the smile to happen as she held the phone several inches from her ear - the sound of Ruby’s loud squeal still reaching her perfectly.

“Weiss, you’re the absolute best!!Meet at my place at six?”

“Sure, I’ll see you then.”

“Oh!And what’s the name of that cookie place you were talking about??” Ruby suddenly asked, having a penchant for extending a conversation past its expiration date.“Is it Cookie Express?”

“Nope,” Weiss replied with a grin, pleased to have some knowledge Ruby didn’t know.

“Pastry Emporium?”

“Try again.”

“The Sweet Room?Snickerdoodlery?Cookie Crumble?Sweet Tooth Sweets?Grandma’s Kitchen?The Cooling Rack?CinnaMan?”

“Wha - no, none of those!” Weiss replied in shock, shaking her head at the giggle on the other end of the line.“How many bakeries do you know?”

“Those are just the _cookie_ ones - ask me about cake places!” Ruby answered with another giggle.“But I can’t wait to try this super secret place of yours!See you soon!Mwuah!”

Weiss flushed at what could only be described as a kissing sound as the call disconnected.

The place she had in mind had nowhere near as creative a name as the ones Ruby just listed, but that didn’t make it any less incredible.Best of all, Weiss was positive Ruby hadn’t been there before.For some reason, Weiss couldn’t imagine Ruby frequenting any eatery that routinely used gold and silver as decorations.

Handing the phone back to the attendant, Weiss straightened her posture and turned to the mirrors in front of her.The seamstress responded to the silent cue and restarted her work immediately.

“Plans tomorrow?” Weiss’ mother asked from behind her.The tone was nonchalant, but any question from the woman was an attempt to pry.

“Yes, with an old friend from school.She’s been overseeing an extension of her family’s business in Mistral for quite a while, but is back in town for a short time.”

The lie rolled off Weiss’ tongue and was happily scooped up by her mother - who nodded her head in approval.

“It’s good for you to reconnect with classmates.Their parents sent them to Vale Academy for a reason.”

Weiss gritted her teeth at the comment, which was a thinly-veiled insult directed towards those of little money who attended the ‘lesser’ schools.

“Take in just a few millimeters here…” the seamstress muttered near Weiss’ right side, the woman too engrossed in the task at hand to notice their conversation.

“You might need to lose some weight before the wedding,” her mother commented.

Merely nodding her head, Weiss issued no words in response.It was useless to point out that she was already quite thin for her height and stature.But losing more weight shouldn’t be much of an issue...she’d found it challenging to eat recently, as it was.A self-imposed wedding diet would be the perfect excuse for the nearly untouched plates of food she kept sending back to the kitchen.

“And...perfect.”

Glancing to the side, Weiss watched the seamstress straighten and step away with a grand flourish, spinning her around to be viewed by her expectant audience.

The women in attendance let out ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s at her appearance, while her mother nodded in approval.

“What do you think?Don’t you just love it?” the store’s owner gushed, stepping up beside Weiss and turning her gently towards the massive wall of mirrors before stepping out of view.

The dress was beautiful - a strapless, mermaid-style gown that clung to her waist and hips before falling into a long, draping train.The scalloped neckline was trimmed in exquisitely hand-sewn lace.The hem at the bottom also featured a scalloped design, rising and falling in small waves rather than running a straight edge across.Most of the bodice and the bottom inches of the skirt were accented with more meticulous lace patterns - the incredible intricacy likely the reason why the dress had taken months to be hand stitched for her.

It was stunning - one of the most beautiful gowns Weiss had ever seen - but who was this girl staring back at her?

Maybe it was the contrast between the pure white wedding gown and her complete lack of joviality.Maybe it was the dress, which should have brought a smile to her face with the promise of love it entailed, but left her expression impassive, at best. 

At that moment - confronted with her reflection - she realized just how unhappy she looked. 

She realized just how unhappy she _was_.

Tears stung her eyes, but she quickly pushed those feelings away, trying to swallow the lump that had just appeared in her throat.Forcing a smile, she nodded her head once before saying the words everyone so badly wanted to hear.

“Yes, I love it.”


	19. Chapter 19

Inside the cabin of the fleet of vehicles Weiss’ family maintained was a little drawer - nothing more than a two-inch metal indentation.A small, metal lid flipped down and covered the entire square securely, causing it to disappear into the surface it was hidden in.These spaces were probably meant to be some sort of ashtray, but - because no one in her family smoked - they weren’t used for anything at all. 

They turned out to be the perfect place to store her engagement ring whenever she visited Ruby. 

Flipping the lid shut with a sharp snap, Weiss rubbed at her barren finger while the limousine stopped in front of Ruby’s apartment building.Excitement stirred as the time drew nearer and nearer for her to see Ruby again.Ever since getting off the phone yesterday with plans for dinner, Weiss had hardly thought of anything but Ruby - preferring to look forward to this evening rather than consider her own life and surroundings.

After waiting impatiently for the driver to open the passenger door for her, Weiss stepped out of the vehicle and quickly crossed the sidewalk to the front door. 

When her hand reached for the handle, she noticed a speck of white land harmlessly upon her finger - the single pinprick of cold disappearing a moment later.Glancing back towards the street, she saw a puff of air leave her mouth combined with the beginnings of evening flurries - the tiny dots of white falling to the ground before immediately disappearing underfoot.Pulling her jacket tighter, she turned and headed inside.

Usually, she couldn’t wait for winter to be over - for the bone-chilling cold to disappear and make way for the budding warmth of spring - but this year she wanted nothing more than for these cold days to drag on forever.Because, no matter how cold it was, it was never that bad when Ruby was nearby.

A few minutes later, Weiss raised her hand to knock on the apartment door - the sharp raps echoing in the empty hallway.A small, happy bark from inside let her know that Zwei was at home and excited to see her, a thought that brought a smile to her face.Hearing the sound of footsteps accompanied by paws move towards the door, she held her breath while waiting for Ruby to appear - waiting to see that trademark smile, that mess of short brown hair, those incredible molten metal eyes…

Her breath left her in a disappointed whoosh of air when the door opened.

“Oh.Hi, Blake.”

She tried not to sound too disappointed, but she was crushed that her reunitement with Ruby was delayed by a few more seconds.Kneeling down, she scratched Zwei’s ears while the happy dog propped both paws on top of her knee, his tongue lolling out to one side as his fluffy tail wagged happily back and forth.

“Hey, Weiss.You and Ruby going on another date?” Blake asked warmly. 

“D-date??No!No - we’re just getting dinner.”Quickly standing, Weiss tucked a strand of stray hair behind her left ear - trying to appear calm no matter how frazzled the term had just made her.

“Relax...I didn’t mean anything by it...” Blake replied, although now her intelligent eyes flashed with interest.“It looks like you’re missing something, by the way.” 

Holding up her left hand, Blake tapped her ring finger meaningfully.

Weiss briefly panicked as amber eyes morphed from mere interest to intense curiosity in the fraction of a second.Glancing down at her empty hand, she turned her gaze away and feigned a calm attitude.

“Oh...it’s being cleaned right now,” she responded, resisting the urge to hide her empty hand - knowing that the motion would give away her lie.Not that it would matter since Blake didn’t seem to believe the response anyway, as she raised one brow in response. 

“You probably need to have it cleaned all the time, right?Wouldn’t want something so valuable to get...tarnished.”

“Absolutely,” Weiss replied with a forced smile, trying not to read into that comment any more than necessary.When Ruby stumbled into the living room, Weiss’ smile became true in a heartbeat, relief flooding through her at the sight of her salvation from this unfortunate conversation.

“Hey Weiss!” Ruby called out before practically falling on top of a pair of shoes - Zwei running over and prancing playfully around her feet.“Sorry, I just need a...aha!Jacket.”

Blake stepped out of the doorway when Ruby rushed over, giving the two of them another curious look before turning to walk back into the apartment.

“You two have fun,” she called back to them with a friendly wave.“Weiss, it was good to see you again.”

“Good to see you too…” Weiss replied, an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach as she wondered what Blake was thinking about them right now.But those thoughts evaporated when Ruby grabbed her arm and practically dragged her back to the elevators - jamming a thumb into the button and hopping up and down while waiting for one to arrive.

“Ruby, what’s the hur-”

Weiss’ question never made it completely out of her mouth, because as soon as the elevator doors opened, she was pushed inside as Ruby’s soft lips met hers.Before she could even grasp what was happening, it was over - the doors closed and Ruby pulled away with a gigantic grin on her face.

“Wh-what...Ruby, what are you doing??” Weiss half-whispered, half-scolded, looking around as if someone in the empty elevator might have witnessed what just happened.She then touched two fingers to her lips in surprise, the tingling sensation where Ruby’s lips had just been lingering far beyond the kiss as blood rushed to her cheeks.

“Well...uh…I figured since Yang interrupted us last time...I could have one kiss at the beginning and one kiss at the end today...”

For the bold move Ruby had just made, she was now acting surprisingly shy. 

The only response Weiss could give was to stare - thunderstruck by what just happened and Ruby’s subsequent reaction to it.It was difficult to pinpoint how she felt right now - but it definitely wasn’t upset, or angry.Surprised, overjoyed, excited...those might be more accurate.

“Come on, dolt,” Weiss finally muttered when the elevator doors reopened, leading the way outside with Ruby in tow - the girl steadily regaining confidence and energy with each passing second.

For some reason, expecting a kiss at the end of today made Weiss extraordinarily nervous, but she couldn’t let Ruby catch on to that fact.She needed to maintain her poise, her composure. 

It was just a kiss.A single, solitary kiss.There was no reason to get worked up over a...wonderful, amazing kiss...

“Are you ready for swanky bear tacos?” she asked in an effort to distract herself, raising an eyebrow when Ruby laughed at the question.

“Swanky bear tacos??That sounds like we’re gonna eat bears!” Ruby giggled, turning Weiss’ cheeks rosy red in embarrassment.

“Well, if this place is as greasy as advertised, it wouldn’t surprise me,” she retorted with a smile, gesturing for Ruby to get into the limousine before she followed suit.

It wasn’t long before they arrived at their destination - the address of which Ruby provided to the driver from memory.Weiss could honestly say she’d never been to this part of the city - where the houses were rundown and the businesses had metal, locking gates for the windows and doors.But the appearance of the neighborhood was soon the least of her concerns.

“Oh dear lord…”

Those were the first words out of Weiss’ mouth when she stepped onto the sidewalk, followed closely by the sound of Ruby’s giggles.

“That’s one big, swanky bear, ain’t it?”

“That is one giant teddy bear…” Weiss replied, staring up at it in bewilderment.

The statue towered nearly two stories, making it taller than any of the surrounding buildings.Unfortunately, time had done its best to wear the figure down - causing ordinary brown paint to chip and flake in multiple places, revealing gray plaster underneath. 

It was still very clearly a gigantic teddy bear.What wasn’t clear was why it existed in this place, where there seemed to be nothing else of interest.

“Wait.Ruby, where do we eat?” Weiss asked, looking around and seeing nothing but the teddy bear standing before her.

“Right there!”

Following Ruby’s hand, Weiss felt her skin crawl in horror when her eyes located their destination. 

“Ruby…” she said, taking a step away from the ‘restaurant’ and nearly stepping on Ruby’s foot in the process.“That’s a shack, not a restaurant.The bear is ten times bigger than it!”

“Yeah, but it smells so good!!” 

Squinting her eyes, Weiss read the small, crooked sign hung above the single door on the microscopic establishment - doing so only made her disbelief grow.

“‘Teddy Bear Tacos?’Really?” 

Ruby merely giggled at the incredulity.

“It’s clever, isn’t it?”

Every instinct Weiss had screamed for her to get the hell out of there - to drag Ruby to the nearest, most expensive restaurant they could find, where they would gorge themselves on exquisitely-prepared cuisine.

But that’s not what Ruby wanted to do, so...health inspectors be damned.

“Alright, let’s go,” Weiss said, walking towards the door so they weren’t standing out in the snow any longer.Ruby’s ear-splitting smile was immediately worth the decision, although she wasn’t sure how she’d feel about it in a few hours.

Bounding forward, Ruby pulled open the door and waved Weiss through first.When she walked inside, she found it was cleaner than she imagined it would be, but somehow smaller than the tiny storefront implied.There was room for just two small, square tables - one situated on either side of the front door.Not six feet from them was the counter where they were supposed to order their food.The sprawling menu was written in what must be a child’s handwriting upon a giant board taking up most of the wall above the food counter - filled with options such as tacos, hamburgers, and even a seafood pasta she would die before trying.

“I’m gonna get the tacos!” Ruby remarked from beside her, pointing towards the most prominent item on the menu.“What about you?”

“I think...the same…” she replied.Tacos seemed like the safest bet in this...eatery.

“Alright!I’ll order if you wanna sit down,” Ruby said with a wink before walking towards the counter, but Weiss grabbed her arm before she could get too far away.Not that anywhere would be far away in this tiny place.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Weiss asked, pulling Ruby back to her.“I’m buying dinner.”

“Uh...but I’m the one who invited you!Inviter pays, remember?” 

From Ruby’s grin, she thought she’d won this disagreement - which was cute.Really cute.

“ _Technically,_ you invited me to lunch,” Weiss pointed out.“Which I had to decline, then _I_ invited you to dinner.”

“I - uh...oh yeah…”

“Oh yeah,” she mimicked with a grin when she felt Ruby relenting.“So why don’t you find us a table?And one near the door, you know how I feel about being too far away from the exit.”

Giggling at Weiss’ fake pretentious voice, Ruby gave an adorable play salute before pretending to search for the perfect place to sit. 

Laughing at Ruby’s antics, Weiss turned back to the counter.When she took a step closer, a young boy appeared in front of her.Dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, he looked several years younger than her - young enough to question whether or not he should be working in the first place.

“What’ll you have?” he asked, appearing disinterested in the answer before she could even provide it.

“Two of the…‘taco meals’ please,” she replied, pointing to the menu as if he could see. 

“Two taco meals!” the boy yelled towards the older gentleman behind him in the kitchen.The shout was entirely unnecessary...the man surely heard her from this far away. 

“Fifteen Lien,” the boy said while the cook began throwing food around in various pans in the kitchen.

Positive she’d misheard him, she hesitated for several seconds before pulling the smallest bill from her wallet (which was _much_ more than fifteen Lien) and handing it over.If he hadn’t just shouted the order in her face, she would worry that he’d run it up incorrectly.But he seemed to have the correct order, so...that must be the proper amount, right?Maybe his young age implied a lack of mathematical skills?

After handing back her change - which was the proper amount if the entire meal _was_ fifteen Lien - he then pulled two tall paper cups from beneath the counter and placed them in front of her.Just as she was about to pick up the cups - fully prepared to ask what she was supposed to do with them - Ruby appeared beside her.

“I’ll get the drinks!” Ruby said while grabbing the paper objects away from her.“What do you want?”

“Uh...water will be fine…”

If Weiss was going to spend the entire night with food poisoning, she’d better get a head start on her fluids.

“Got it!Oh, and I found us an _awesome_ table right by the door,” Ruby teased, pointing towards the table on the right side of the restaurant.“Had to fight an old lady for it, but anything for you!” 

“You know I love it when you fight old ladies for me,” Weiss teased in return, earning a wink from Ruby before she jetted over to the soda fountain Weiss had missed by the entrance.

A plastic tray holding two plates piled with food was set on the counter a second later, catching her attention before she could walk away.When she stared at it in confusion, the boy pushed it closer and gave it a meaningful nod.

It took a few seconds too long, but eventually she realized that _she_ was supposed to take the food to the table - there was no waiter to deliver it for them.Picking it up - making sure to balance it carefully - she walked over to the seats Ruby had reserved for them.

“Well...you are an amazingly cheap person to feed,” Weiss commented while setting the tray down at the same time Ruby placed the drink cups on the table.

“I’ve eaten even cheaper food than this!” 

“I don’t know if that’s something you should be proud of…” 

Ruby giggled at the response while accepting her food, rubbing her hands together in anticipation - her silver eyes sparkling with excitement.On Weiss’ side of the table, she eyed the food suspiciously. 

It _looked_ ok...and it _smelled_ good...but seriously, who served french fries with tacos?

“Too rough?” Ruby asked, drawing Weiss’ attention across the table - finding Ruby watching intently.“We can eat somewhere else if you want to.I don’t mind at all!”

Ruby’s grin said that she really wouldn’t mind if Weiss asked to eat somewhere else, but she didn’t want to be the one to spoil their fun, adventurous outing on account of not wanting food poisoning.

Picking up one of the tacos, she held the crispy shell in both hands while trying not to let any of the fillings fall out (which was difficult to do when shreds of lettuce were piled above the top of the tortilla shell).After taking one last sniff, she looked back to Ruby. 

“What happens when we get food poisoning?”

Ruby’s smile grew blindingly bright as she picked up one of her own tacos.

“I’ll hold your hair back while you puke?”

“Oh lovely…” Weiss replied with a friendly roll of her eyes.

It didn’t escape her notice that Ruby had offered to take care of her - a sweet gesture from a sweet girl.And the prospect of having Ruby tend to her certainly made it a little more worthwhile to try the possibly toxic food.

Taking a deep breath, Weiss took a bite of the taco as Ruby did the same - the food crunching loudly as they bit into them.After several seconds of extremely-thoughtful chewing, they both swallowed in near unison.

“What do you think?Does it taste poisonous?” Ruby asked, suddenly sounding much more concerned than she had _before_ they’d eaten some.

But Weiss shook her head, thinking it tasted pretty good.The lettuce was crisp and fresh, the tomatoes also fresh and juicy, while what she hoped was beef was seasoned extraordinarily well.

“No...but if I die, _you_ get to explain to my parents how a taco killed me.”

Giggling, Ruby responded in a fake, high-pitched voice, “Mr. and Mrs. Schnee, I’m so sorry, but Weiss succumbed to a poisonous bear taco - I may or may not have forced her to eat it, but I’m sorry that she won’t be able to make it to the wedding!”

Their laughter quickly died off as an uncomfortable silence gripped the table.Ruby looked mortified by what she’d said, frozen in place while staring at the food in her hands.Clearing her throat, Weiss forced a smile and tried to put that word as far behind them as possible - but as soon as she opened her mouth to change the subject, Ruby spoke.

“Do you...do you want to get married, Weiss?” 

The question sent Weiss’ heart racing - pounding loudly in her ears while her brain struggled to grasp the situation.This was the one topic they avoided like the plague - the one subject that refused to come up no matter how much they spoke - but now Ruby wanted to dive into these details? 

“It’s not about what I want…” Weiss replied, wishing dearly to rewind their conversation to a few seconds ago and steer them in a different direction. 

“That’s not an answer.”

“I…” she paused as Ruby stared across the table, startled that Ruby was pressing the issue so determinedly. 

What good would it do for Weiss to admit how badly she didn’t want to get married?How could that knowledge possibly make Ruby feel better?It wouldn’t change the fact that Weiss _was_ getting married, regardless of her wishes.

But she didn’t want to lie to Ruby, not about something like this.

“No...I don’t,” she finally replied, setting her food back on the tray and brushing her hands off on a napkin. 

“Then why don’t you just call the whole thing off?” Ruby asked, anxious energy emitting from her as her hands fidgeted.

“It’s not that easy…”

“Sure it is!You just tell your parents you won’t do it.They can’t force you.”

Weiss stared at Ruby for a few long seconds, trying to figure out the right words to say in the face of such naive hope.

Did Ruby think Weiss hadn’t considered that?She’d thought of every possible way to say no - or to prevent it from happening - but it never changed the inevitable outcome.

It was her duty. 

It was her purpose - her destiny. 

If she didn’t continue her family’s name, then who would?

Taking a deep, shaky breath, she found that she had no courage to speak those thoughts to Ruby.How could she explain to someone so...free...what it was like to live an illusion of freedom?How could she explain that her life wasn’t really her own, but rather on loan until her ‘duty’ reared its oppressive head?

“Can we...can we not talk about it?” she asked - no, pleaded, Ruby instead.“Can we just enjoy the moment, right now?And the potentially poisonous food we’re eating?”

Weiss forced a tiny smile at the end of her plea, hoping her attempt at humor would lighten the mood.Biting her lip, Ruby thought about the request before nodding - and, for the briefest of moments, looking nearly ashamed for bringing up the subject, to begin with.

But that expression was gone after a split second, and Ruby quickly reverted to her usual self.

“Oh hey, I wanted to _personally_ invite you to the last track meet of indoor season!” she proclaimed with a grin.“It’s in a couple days.”

“What - you mean I won’t be invited by some strange blonde girl calling me out of the blue?” Weiss replied with a relieved smile, thankfully noting that Ruby had resumed eating.

“Nope!Yang and Blake might not even be there.It’s their anniversary, and my gift to them was granting amnesty from trying to make it on time.”

“Well that was very thoughtful of you, but means that I’ll _definitely_ be there.”

The thought of Ruby competing without anyone there to cheer her on made Weiss inexplicably sad.Fortunately, that situation wouldn’t come to pass, because Weiss would make sure to be there to provide the support Ruby deserved.

“Oh god,” Ruby suddenly exclaimed, placing her palms to her cheeks.“If you’re there, I have to run so fast...I have to break all my personal records, for sure!”

Laughing at the expression, Weiss felt her cheeks subtly warm - enjoying the idea that her presence would make Ruby try to show off.

“You don’t need to break your records.Just...try not to scrape yourself up this time.”

“No promises!” Ruby replied with a wink before diving into the second taco on her plate.While Ruby did that, Weiss picked up her first taco - this one still hardly touched.

“What anniversary is it - do you know?” she asked before taking another small bite.

“Five years!”

Coughing in surprise, she nearly choked on a stray piece of lettuce.

“ _Five_ years??” 

“Yup!” Ruby replied with a happy grin.“The volleyball incident was winter of their freshman year.”

It was so hard for Weiss to fathom spending _that long_ with another person...in an _intimate_ sense.And for the two girls to still look at each other the way they did...to still enjoy being around one another and to live together...

“Wow...that’s impressive…” she remarked, incredulous over such a feat.

“I told you - Yang got hit in the head _hard!_ ”

Giggling, Ruby continued to devour her meal - setting in on the french fries with renewed vigor.Weiss watched in amusement while pondering the idea of a five-year relationship.

Of all the people she’d met in her life so far, there was only one she could imagine spending that much time with - and that person was currently shoveling french fries into her mouth like a vacuum cleaner.

They hadn’t known each other for that long - how was it possible to envision years together?

“Are you going to finish that?” Ruby asked, pulling Weiss out of her thoughts.Finding Ruby pointing towards Weiss’ second taco, Weiss quickly shook her head and pushed her tray across the table.

“Have at it,” she added.With permission granted, Ruby set in on the remainder of the food while Weiss tried to finish one taco on her own.

It wasn’t long before _all_ of the food was gone - courtesy of a certain brunette with a bottomless stomach.

“I hope you had enough?” Weiss asked after Ruby sat back and let out a content sigh.

“Oh yeah.That was awesome!”Standing up, Ruby gathered their trays and took them over to a garbage bin on the other side of the room.Skipping back to the table, she offered her hand to Weiss instead of sitting down again. 

“Ready?”

“I am.”Accepting Ruby’s hand, Weiss stood and followed Ruby out of the tiny restaurant and into the light snow.The early darkness of winter had already set in on the evening - making it seem far later than it was.

“Thank you for the great dinner!” Ruby said as they walked towards the out-of-place limousine parked nearby.“I’m probably going to pass out as soon as I get home…”

Raising an eyebrow as the chauffeur stepped out of the vehicle to open their door, Weiss couldn’t wait to say what she had in store next.

“You don’t think I’d take you out to dinner and not have dessert planned, do you?”

With a gasp, Ruby turned around with sparkling eyes, seeking confirmation that Weiss wasn’t playing some cruel joke.When Weiss nodded, Ruby squealed in delight before running the rest of the way to the car and practically diving through the open door into the vehicle.

Weiss followed at a much more refined pace - smiling at the success of her latest idea.

“Please take us to The Vale Baker next,” she instructed the driver before stepping through the door to join Ruby inside.

It took a while to cross the entire town, but eventually they were dropped off in the ritziest section of Vale - the true definition ‘swanky,’ and a stark contrast to where they’d eaten dinner. 

Every shop was severely overpriced - stocked with items most people could only dream of affording in a lifetime.The street signs were written in an elegant cursive font.The walkways were faded red brick instead of dull cement.And there were no metal gates covering windows or doors.The snow was easily visible as it fluttered by the wrought-iron street lamps - the soft, orange globes dotting the street as far as the eye could see.

This was where people ‘like her’ shopped - where the social elite purchased items to set themselves apart from the rest of the city.And, coincidentally, where her mother spent most of her time (and money). 

This was also home to a bakery even someone with no sweet tooth enjoyed.

The Vale Baker - an unassuming name for such a high-class establishment.With a kitschy, red and white awning hung outside, it drew far more attention than the stores hemming it in on both sides.The sign had a classy, white background with gold lettering - the font designed to look like frosting piped on top of a cake.

“Have you ever been here?” Weiss asked, noticing the way Ruby’s pace quickened as soon as the air acquired the heavy scent of sugar, frosting, and baked goods to go along with the fresh snow. 

“No!I’ve heard about this place, but I’ve never been!” 

Even in her haste and excitement, Ruby was kind enough to open the door and wait for Weiss to walk in first.She was immediately met with a blast of warm, fragrant air - and her eyes needed a few seconds to adjust from dusk to the bright lights of the bakery.

Inside the double glass doors were several large display counters filled with a vast assortment of different sweets - from traditional cookies and cupcakes to mindblowing personal creations of the head baker.Every color imaginable was represented in the frosting or decorations, creating a fantastic array that was visually striking.

No expense was spared when it came to the decadence, with small signs hung upon the walls touting the best ingredients sourced from the far corners of the globe - and those were only the ingredients that went into making the batters.The finishing touches were made with gold leaf and silver piping - resting in gold foil wrappers - and those were the least expensive items.One display was filled with delicacies plucked from the imagination of someone with a bottomless wallet - wrapped in pure gold and studded with diamonds, emeralds, or other jewels.

This would’ve been the perfect bakery to make Weiss’ wedding cake, but the owner dealt only in cookies, cupcakes, and other bite-size treats (a policy her mother had lamented many times).But Weiss couldn’t blame the man for staying within his comfort zone.Even if he _had_ accepted the sum of money offered to him, providing a subpar deliverable would be far worse for the bakery’s success in the long run.Nothing caused career suicide faster than disappointing a Schnee.

The bakery finally decided upon was renowned for their wedding cakes, and the creation for the big day would undoubtedly be decorated with similar outlandish items.One conversation Weiss had overhead mentioned a ‘quota’ of at least fifty hand-selected diamonds.Several guests were going home with very expensive wedding favors…

“Wowww…” Ruby breathed out, her eyes wide as she looked in every nook and cranny of the shop.“This place is...incredible!”

Smiling at the success of her selection, Weiss took a step closer to the counter and felt Ruby stick close to her elbow.

One of the caveats of The Vale Baker (which would work to her advantage today) was that there were no prices displayed.The idea was that if someone needed to ask for the price, they couldn’t afford what they were asking for, to begin with.

A couple of other patrons were in the bakery at the moment - both of whom Weiss vaguely recognized.They’d likely attended some Schnee event in the past.Anyone with any money made sure to make an appearance at those parties, if they were lucky enough to be invited. 

But they were the least of Weiss’ concerns at the moment, as this entire trip was about the stunned brunette standing beside her.

“Order whatever you’d like,” Weiss offered, noticing that Ruby seemed a little reticent about approaching the counter.Hoping to tempt her closer, Weiss took a single step forward and smiled when Ruby matched the movement.

“I don’t know, Weiss...it looks really expensive…” 

“How do you know without the prices?”Weiss smiled at the joke but found Ruby looking at her with a more serious expression.

“Weiss, I’ve eaten my fair share of cupcakes...I know gold isn’t a common ingredient.”

“Don’t worry about the prices,” Weiss tried to reassure, taking another baby-step forward to draw Ruby along with her.

“Yeah but...I really don’t want to…”Words trailing off, Ruby bit her lip and looked around the store - looking anywhere but Weiss’ eyes.

Believing she understood what Ruby was struggling to articulate, Weiss took a deep breath and responded to the unvoiced concern.

“Ruby...you have _no_ idea how nice it is that you don’t care that I’m rich...but that doesn’t mean I’m not.I _know_ you’re not using me.I just - I want to spoil you a little bit.So will you let me?Please?”

With wide eyes, Ruby stared for a few seconds before clutching a hand to her chest - the gesture immediately alarming until Weiss heard the words next out of Ruby’s mouth.

“Oh my god...how can I say no when you say ‘please’ like that??”

Instantly taken aback, a blush rushed to Weiss’ cheeks.

She hadn’t meant to use that word, but apparently it slipped out unnoticed.It was one thing to use it innocently - like ‘please follow me,’ or ‘please help yourself’ - but to _legitimately_ use it to beg?

Glancing at Ruby and finding her still grinning like a fool, Weiss felt those ingrained reservations slip away.Suddenly, it seemed like an incredibly special word - a trump card she hadn’t known she possessed, albeit a highly uncomfortable one.Her family wasn’t exactly prone to begging for their wishes to be granted, but if it worked with Ruby, Weiss was willing to do it.

“So...pick a few things?” she suggested, waving one hand towards the first display case.

That was all the encouragement Ruby needed to rush forward and press both hands to the glass - drawing a curious look from the man tending the sweets, who Weiss recognized to be the owner. 

“Ohhh this one looks great!But also this one.Caramel cream??Wow, that sounds like heaven.Oceanic Swirl?What the heck - that sounds awesome and weird!”

As Ruby pointed to one item after another - unable to make a clear decision - the owner looked to Weiss for direction.With her small nod, he quickly pulled items from the cases as Ruby mentioned them - continuing his actions until she’d exhausted herself selecting a variety of cookies and cupcakes alike.

The owner didn’t ring up a total for the baked goods, as Weiss’ information was already on file to pay whatever absurd amount it would be.He also included her favorite without her having to mention it.Whether he remembered these small details or had it written down somewhere, she wasn’t sure, but it added a nice touch of client service. 

“Ruby, if you pick a seat they’ll bring everything over,” Weiss said, and Ruby dashed away after giving her another giant smile.Turning her attention to the man diligently arranging their items on an expensive silver platter, she caught his attention with a soft “excuse me.”

“Could you bring over a glass of milk, as well?”

Satisfied with his nod, Weiss rejoined Ruby at the selected table - one that was close to the windows so they could watch the snow while they ate.Taking the seat Ruby had left open for her, she could already see the girl’s knee bouncing rapidly up and down - _without_ the massive influx of sugar headed their way. 

“Do you even have room to eat?” Weiss asked, not forgetting how much food Ruby had inhaled at the taco shack.

“Please!There’s _always_ room for dessert!”

Weiss chuckled as a silver tray was placed in front of them, accompanied by two small, china plates and two sets of silverware.A glass of milk appeared an instant later, making Ruby’s eyes light up in surprise when it was placed in front of her.

“Oh wow, this place is the best, Weiss!They knew I’d need a glass of milk!”

At that moment, Weiss decided there was nothing in the world more satisfying than seeing those silver eyes sparkle so joyfully.The sight filled her with such an incredible sense of...purpose and happiness - unlike anything she’d felt before.It was as if making Ruby happy was her true calling and, somehow, she was _good_ at it.She was good at coming up with ways to make Ruby happy - ways to make her laugh or smile or giggle.Even something small, like remembering a glass of milk, felt more rewarding than getting the best score on a difficult test.

“Dig in,” Weiss told Ruby with a smile - fully aware that what was about to occur would break nearly every rule of proper dining etiquette.But she didn’t care.

Ruby plucked a cupcake off the tray with her bare hands and carefully removed the gold-foil wrapper before discarding it on the tray.While the china plate and silverware continued to go unused, Ruby took a huge bite, causing crumbs to fall everywhere while frosting managed to find itself on the tip of her nose.

“Mmmm...my ‘od…”

“Is it good?” Weiss asked.

Nodding, Ruby quickly finished chewing and swallowed the bite in her mouth.

“That is... _the best_ cupcake...I’ve _ever_ had.”

That statement probably shouldn’t have made Weiss as happy as it did...but it made her very, _very_ pleased.

“And that’s only the first one,” she responded, willing to bet there was at least one other item on the tray that Ruby would enjoy more than the first.

After polishing off the first cupcake in a couple more bites, Ruby eyed the tray while trying to make her second selection.

“Wait...what’s that one?” she asked, pointing towards the single treat earmarked for Weiss. 

The small, rectangular piece of cake was rather nondescript when compared to the lavish sweets Ruby had picked out, which made it stick out like a sore thumb on the tray.A white cake with only a thin layer of ivory frosting - it lacked pizzazz and sparkle, but that’s why Weiss liked it.

“That’s my favorite dessert - want to try it?”

“Are you sure?” Ruby asked, asking the question even though she’d already picked up her fork in anticipation of having a bite.

When Weiss nodded, Ruby eagerly stuck her fork into the cake and broke off the corner before sticking it in her mouth.

Struggling to maintain a straight face, Weiss watched Ruby try and miserably fail to prevent her nose from wrinkling.Picking up one of the napkins that had been left on the edge of the table, Weiss used it to playfully snatch the rest of the piece away from Ruby, who was struggling to swallow the bit in her mouth.Making a show of drowning the dessert with a big gulp of milk, Ruby set the glass down and made a face.

“It tastes like bread...” 

“That’s because it’s not packed with sugar!” Weiss pointed out, giggling when Ruby defiantly stuck her fork into the top of a cupcake and put a chunk of frosting in her mouth.

“Mmm...sugar…”

“Well good.At least I’m not in danger of losing my dessert,” Weiss teased before taking the first bite of her treat.It might not taste like a typical dessert, but she still enjoyed it.It tasted far more like butter than sugar...and Ruby was right, it did taste more like bread than cake.

“So am I worth more now that I’m eating gold?” 

Looking up, Weiss was just in time to see Ruby place an intricately-molded golden leaf on the tip of her tongue before it disappeared with a wink.

“You’re already priceless, Ruby.”

Weiss’ words contained not one drop of humor, but Ruby took them to be a joke - responding with a light-hearted laugh.

“Tell that to Yang!She tried to trade me for a pair of boots last week!”

“Well, what kind of boots were they?” Weiss asked, attempting to pose the question as seriously as possible while her mouth twitched upward with a smirk.

“I dunno...black ones?” Ruby replied before laughing again, her silver eyes lighting up as she set in on a rather large white and gold cookie.

It was with great enjoyment and hilarity that they finished the rest of their desserts, finding all manners of subjects to talk about at the same time. 

If there was one good thing that came out of her family’s infinite fountain of money, it was this - the ability to take Ruby somewhere she’d never been and treat her to delicacies she might have never tried.It was an even better feeling to know that this was unnecessary.Even though Ruby was enjoying herself greatly, she would have just as much fun at a cotton candy stand, or an ice cream parlor, or a landfill, even. 

It wasn’t the _money_ that made being together enjoyable.It was just _being together_ that was enjoyable.

Night had officially fallen by the time they stepped back outside - the air now carrying a frigid bite to go along with the continued flurries of snow.With the lack of foot traffic, a small dusting of white had collected upon the brick sidewalks - nothing that would last through the morning, but the first bit of accumulation they’d seen thus far this winter.

With tightly-wrapped jackets, the two of them rushed back to the limousine waiting on them, climbing hastily aboard to get out of the cold as quickly as possible.Thankfully, the cabin was already warm - the driver having the foresight to turn on the heat in the back while they were eating.

As the vehicle pulled away from the curb, Ruby turned towards Weiss with clear and bright silver eyes.It was only a smile Ruby gave to her, but there was something about it - something unique and special.It felt like that smile was crafted just for Weiss - as if someone had reached into her dreams and created exactly what she most greatly desired to see.

It was just a smile, but it ignited a fire in her heart - warming her from the inside out. 

Quiet words and peaceful whispers were exchanged on the return to the apartment building Ruby called home, their energy winding down just as their evening did.It was only after braving the cold one more time to escort Ruby through the front doors of the building that Weiss felt her pulse increasing - the end of the ‘date’ finally upon them.

“I still can’t believe you ate _all_ of those cupcakes _and_ all of the cookies,” she remarked, in a permanent state of disbelief over the spectacle she’d witnessed.

“Ye of little faith…you didn’t have to send me home with more though!” Ruby replied, lifting up the paper bag filled with individually-wrapped cupcakes and stacks of cookies.

“Maybe you can share with Yang and Blake?”

“Why?” Ruby asked as they approached the bank of elevators - the question throwing Weiss off completely.

“I-I don’t know; I just thought it might be nice…”

“Aww, you care about them!” Ruby teased, immediately dropping the serious act in favor of gently poking Weiss in the side.

“What?I do not -”

“You dooooo!Look at you - you’re blushing!”

Weiss puffed out her disobedient cheeks, which had once again warmed without her permission.

“I just don’t want them to feel left out!” she finally explained, turning away when Ruby giggled.But, while she was still turned away, two arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her into a somewhat-awkward sideways hug.

“You care about people,” Ruby whispered into Weiss’ ear.“I like that about you - no need to be embarrassed.”

Now, Weiss’ cheeks were lighting up for an entirely different reason, as Ruby’s words from earlier moved to the forefront of her mind, filling her with anxiousness and longing.

“You should come up though,” Ruby said, releasing Weiss at the same time.“They’ll want to thank you in person.”

“Oh...o-ok, sure.” 

Weiss’ pulse skyrocketed as they waited for an elevator on the ground level - so much so that the soft ‘ding’ announcing its arrival was barely distinguishable above the pounding of her heart in her ears.Her feet mechanically moved her forward when Ruby motioned her in.

And when the doors slid shut in front of them, Ruby reached down and lightly grabbed Weiss’ hand - giving her fingers a soft squeeze.It was that sweet, innocent gesture that destroyed her nerves - telling her that there was no pressure, there was no assumption of what would happen.

But that small amount of contact suddenly left her desiring much, much more.

Incredibly, she was the who used their joined hands to pull Ruby towards her - drawing Ruby down a few inches so she could place a kiss on those soft, red lips.

Maybe Weiss’ initial intent had been as pure as that one kiss, but the instant their lips touched any notion of stopping at one flew from her mind.Now she needed two, or three, or four...

As an electric current charged through her veins, Weiss wrapped her arms around Ruby’s neck - the brunette kissing her back fervently now.She enjoyed the taste of sugar on Ruby’s lips as one long, slender arm wrapped around her waist - dragging a low plea for more contact from the back of her throat.Both of them were breathing heavily already - their breaths coming in ragged gasps whenever they spared an instant to take in more air. 

A quiet ‘ding’ attempted to pull Weiss out of the fog - the elevator doors sliding open as they reached the fifth floor.

“We should...stop…” she muttered in between Ruby’s continued passionate kisses - Ruby failing to notice were now open until Weiss pointed it out.

“Mmk…” Ruby responded, placing one last kiss on Weiss’ lips before obediently beginning to pull away.

But Weiss’ body once again betrayed her, and her grip tightened around Ruby’s neck in order to drag her down for another kiss.She heard the bag from the bakery hit the floor at the same time the elevator doors slid shut - while they remained inside.With both hands now free, Ruby returned one to Weiss’ waist while another became lost in her hair, tugging and pulling gently as they struggled to meld into one another. 

Maybe Weiss was a good liar.Maybe she could come up with fibs on a moment’s notice.Maybe she could easily hide her emotions.But her body couldn’t lie at all...

Everything she’d ever craved...desired...longed for...she found within this one person - one person she could easily lose herself in and never come back.


	20. Chapter 20

Several days later, Weiss was _still_ embarrassed whenever she thought of the last time she’d seen Ruby.

The two of them had eventually been forced to leave the elevator behind - not by choice, but because someone had called it down to the ground floor to use it.They were so lost in each other at that moment, it had been a jolt of surprise when the floor suddenly moved again.

After spending an uncomfortable few seconds of silence with the older gentleman traveling to the third floor, Weiss had followed through in accompanying Ruby all the way back to her apartment with the desserts.Presenting her gifts in person seemed like the proper thing to do, but the looks Yang and Blake had given them - their breathing still a little labored and Weiss’ face fully flushed - they might as well have been holding signs that read ‘something not strictly _friendly_ just happened here.’

Yang had a much harder time hiding her surprise than Blake - her mouth hanging open and her eyes wide as they flitted back and forth between the two guilty parties.Thankfully, Blake said something before Yang could - directing the conversation back to the cupcakes in the bag Ruby was holding, which were only slightly disheveled from being dropped onto the floor of the elevator.

After being appropriately thanked, Weiss had removed herself from the building as quickly as possible - her heart rate not returning to normal until she was nearly home.

That was several days ago, but her heart still performed stunts in her chest when she recalled the memory from the elevator.There was something about feeling Ruby’s hands and lips and skin pressed against her...something that made her believe nothing else in the world mattered.

And for someone who didn’t enjoy sugar...when it was on Ruby’s tongue, she found the taste incredibly addicting.It was something she could go back for time and time again.

Shaking her head, she tried to clear the memory from her mind for the time being.It would do her no good to be distracted by those images when it was still hours before she’d see Ruby again.

Today was the day of the track meet - or the ‘indoor championships,’ as Ruby had referred to them.This afternoon, Weiss would watch Ruby run again - this time hopefully without being injured or cheated out of victory.But if Ruby got hurt, which seemed like it might happen more often than not, Weiss would be there.The least she could do was cheer Ruby up if such a situation reoccurred.

Plus, _someone_ needed to ensure Ruby received her injury reward of a giant bowl of ice cream.And maybe a kiss wouldn’t be out of the question either...

With time to spare before Weiss could even think of getting ready for the track meet, she decided it might be nice to play the piano again.Having been a little preoccupied recently, she hadn’t played since that first day some time ago.However, if she was supposed to play for Ruby someday, she’d better come up with a set piece she could play without feeling embarrassed.Something fast-paced would probably do the trick - the faster songs always sounded more impressive when played for guests.

As she made her way through the hallways towards the music room, a short-statured woman wearing a maid’s apron caught her attention with a quick wave.

“Miss - your mother is looking for you.”

The sigh that passed her lips was instinctual, knowing that her mother likely had news that she wouldn’t enjoy in the slightest.And just when she thought she would have an enjoyable day...

“Where is she?”

“In the study, Miss,” the woman replied politely.

“Thank you,” Weiss said before turning around and walking back the direction she’d just come from - wishing to get this out of the way sooner rather than later.Hopefully, it was only some ‘horrible’ news about how the baker couldn’t get the right coloring on the cake or how someone had ‘rudely’ declined the invitation to attend.But with her mother, she never knew what to expect.

Turning the next corner and spotting the door to the study up ahead, she took a deep breath in preparation of the conversation to come. 

The study was a dark, depressing room - and one of her least favorite in the entire house, which was saying something considering there were dozens of rooms in the running for that coveted title.Perhaps it was because the dark brown and hunter green color palette was so gloomy...or maybe it was because this was where her mother spent most of her time when not entertaining guests.

As far as size went, it was more comfortable than the massive open spaces in other areas of the house, while still being large enough to fit four chairs surrounding a low card table on one side of the room.Bookcases stacked with her mother’s favorite authors lined one wall, while a large, wooden desk was pressed up against the remaining empty wall.

It was at this desk that Weiss found her mother currently sitting - the woman’s head bent over a piece of paper while writing.She never knew what it was her mother wrote, but the woman seemed to do a lot of it.All Weiss knew was that the filled sheets of stationery were carefully placed in the drawer on the bottom left side of the desk - the only drawer with a lock.

Stopping inside the doorway, Weiss softly cleared her throat to announce her presence without being too disruptive.Hearing the sound, the woman quickly glanced over her shoulder to see who was there.

“Ah, Weiss - good morning.”

“Good morning, mother,” Weiss replied, dipping her head in respect but not moving an inch closer.“You were looking for me?”

“Yes.Mr. Winchester had a meeting come up tomorrow, so we’ll be going to lunch with them today and then tour the church afterward - be ready to leave by eleven.”

“Oh...am I really needed for touring the church?I made plans this afternoon,” she replied, trying to sound as diplomatic as possible.

“Yes, you’re coming.Cancel your plans - we’re not rescheduling on them again.”

“They’re...kind of important though.”

Ordinarily, Weiss wouldn’t have said anything more, but she didn’t want to miss Ruby’s last track meet - especially not when she’d promised Ruby she would be there.Lunch wouldn’t be the problem, but she knew that touring the church would be several hours of nitpicking every nook and cranny and discussing exactly where everything should be placed for the wedding.It was the tour that would make her miss the track meet entirely.

“Could these plans _possibly_ be more important than spending time with your soon-to-be husband and his family?”

Flinching at the term ‘husband,’ Weiss quickly recognized the malice creeping into her mother’s voice - a tone that said there would be no negotiation, no bartering, and no bending - not today. 

Weiss opened her mouth to argue once more, but ultimately decided against it.

“Of course not,” she lied instead, turning on her heel and walking out of the room as the woman hummed in satisfaction.

Hurrying back to her room, Weiss felt her hands shaking in anger - upset that her life had just been dictated to her once again, that her plans were deemed so unimportant that it wasn’t even asked what they were.But what other choice did she have but to do as her parents said?

Closing the door to her room - considering slamming it for a second before thinking better of it - she walked over to the windows and stared outside.Cold air seeped through the window as she stood there, serving to cool her heated skin.Taking several deep breaths, she watched a circle of condensation ebb and flow on the panes of glass while she tried to slow her angrily-beating heart. 

No one cared if Weiss had a life of her own.In fact, they probably preferred that she didn’t.They preferred for her to always be at their beck and call - like she already was.Just tell her what to do, and she would do it like the _obedient_ daughter she was.It didn’t matter what she wanted to do - why would that matter?This wasn’t her life.Sure, she was the one forced to live it - dealing with the emotions and trials and tribulations on her own - but everything else belonged to them.

It wasn’t fair, but she already knew that.There was no point getting upset about something that would never change.

Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she found Ruby’s contact information and stared at it for several seconds - taking more deep breaths while trying to calm herself enough to hold a normal conversation.She didn’t want to do this...but there was no other option. 

When her hands steadied, she pressed the ‘call’ button and raised the phone to her ear as it began ringing - meanwhile directing her attention out the window towards the snow-sprinkled lawn.The weather was threatening to send a true snowstorm any day now - preceded by many, many light dustings.

“Hey Weiss!”

The cheerful voice brought a brief smile to her lips - for a moment making her completely forget the dreadful reason behind her call.

“Good morning, Ruby.I, uh...I have some bad news.”

“Well _that’s_ not a great thing to wake up to!What’s up?”

Weiss opened her mouth to respond, but no words appeared.

How could she tell Ruby what happened without making her upset?How could Weiss explain that instead of watching Ruby run - like she’d promised to do - she would be walking around the site of her wedding with Cardin?The wedding she’d already admitted she didn’t want to go through with?

“My...father...just told me I have to sit in on a few meetings with him today,” Weiss said, her mouth taking on a mind of its own as the words spilled out.“Something about ‘learning the business’ and how to negotiate.He won’t let me out of it, so I-I’m...afraid I won’t be able to make it to your meet after all...”

Holding her breath while waiting for Ruby to respond, she found she didn’t have to wait long at all.

“Oh...that’s ok, Weiss.That’s actually really cool!You get to sit in with all the big wigs!”

What disappointment there was in Ruby’s voice disappeared almost instantly.Instead, she only sounded impressed and...happy for Weiss, rather than anything else. 

She’d accomplished what she’d hoped to do - Ruby didn’t seem upset in the slightest.So why did it feel like someone had just stabbed her through the heart?

“I’m sorry…” Weiss whispered, feeling stinging in her eyes that could only be the beginning of tears.

“Hey, don’t worry about it.If you promise to try extra hard and learn a whole bunch of cool stuff, I’ll promise to run extra hard today!” Ruby replied, her grin practically visible through the phone.

“I promise,” Weiss answered with a wavering smile, grateful that they were doing this over the phone and not in person.“Show Emerald who the better runner is, ok?”

“I just hope you don’t get jealous when she spends the entire race staring at my butt!”

Weiss burst out laughing while Ruby giggled at her own joke.

“I’ll try not to,” she said once their laughs faded, feeling temporarily lighter than air.“Text me as soon as it’s over?I might not be able to respond right away, but I still want to know how it went...”

“Will do!Mwuah!”

Her cheeks flushed as she lowered the phone from her ear, her heart sinking as the device inched towards the ground.

Suddenly queasy, she walked over to an armchair and fell into it - her legs refusing to keep her upright any longer.Hiding her head in her palms, she found that her hands were shaking even though her anger was long gone.

Horrible couldn’t even begin to describe how she felt right now. 

She was disgusted...revolted with herself for telling such a lie.To _Ruby_ , of all people.To someone so sweet and innocent and naive...Ruby would never think that it was a lie.And Weiss _knew_ that.She knew that Ruby believed every word she said - and she’d taken advantage of that trust.

She’d always been an excellent liar - one of the skills necessary to survive in a life where every person was out to backstab one another. She’d never thought poorly of it before.It was just an inevitable fact of life that quickly became routine.She’d never batted an eye when lying to her parents or their friends or her ‘friends.’But this one...this one sat like a rock in her stomach.

She’d thought that things with Ruby would be different - that Ruby was the one person she would never have to lie to - but here she sat with a lie festering like an open wound in the pit of her stomach.

But maybe it was different.Usually, she lied to protect herself from people pretending to be her friends.She lied to keep the fake world from hurting her.This time, she was protecting Ruby from her.

That didn’t make her feel any better.In fact, she felt worse - much worse - as she dragged herself to the closet and to find something to wear.It didn’t matter what it was; it only needed to be presentable enough that she wouldn’t earn a scolding.

With the happiness sucked from her day, Weiss followed directions and struggled to avoid thinking about the promise she’d broken and the lie she’d told.It was much easier said than done - especially when she had nothing but silence to think in on the way to the restaurant.

Fortunately, lunch should provide some distraction - although there was no worse way to ‘enjoy’ a meal than to seat two wealthy families at the same table.Everything was a competition - from what was ordered, to who paid for the meal, to who the host greeted first.Weiss had known this for quite some time, yet was forced to experience it firsthand time and time again.It was as if the universe felt she hadn’t appropriately learned that lesson the first hundred times.

More than a few of these dreadful meals featured the Winchesters, as the two families had been intricately connected since before she was born.But familiarity didn’t mean she was at all fond of the man and woman who’d raised someone as _charming_ as Cardin.

Cardin’s father, Matthew, was a physically-imposing man - standing over six feet tall and built like a tree trunk.He sported the same crew-cut brown hair as Cardin, with his voice loud and booming just like his son’s.The man was known to be particularly vicious when it came to business, more often than not using physical intimidation to force things his way.

Compared to Mr. Winchester, Weiss’ father seemed quite frail - his tall, slender frame appeared far too skinny to compete with such a burly man, while the graying tips of his hair diminished the appearance of youth he’d once had.However, what her father lacked in physique, he made up in intellect - sharp, cunning, and easily able to outmaneuver any opponent.He was a master of playing the game, having been thrust into a leadership role far earlier than expected when his father passed away quite young.He’d become a master of manipulation - pitting different families and businesses against each other while always managing to stay out of the fray.However, with a reign far superior to that of any other family in Vale or Remnant, he hardly needed to resort to such scheming these days.Instead, other families pandered to him, willing to do whatever he wished without hesitation.

The other half of the Winchester clan, Sarah Winchester, was a beauty in her own right.While only slightly taller than Weiss’ mother, the way her long, auburn hair cascaded in perfect curls down her back made her appear even taller.With piercing green eyes and the perfect smile, the woman was just as vain as her son, if not more so.More than once, Weiss overheard the woman say something along the lines of, ‘Thank goodness Weiss grew up to be beautiful - otherwise I don’t know what we would’ve done about this marriage.’ 

Weiss’ mother and Mrs. Winchester were constantly in competition over appearances - each wanting to be ‘more beautiful’ than the other.But comparing the two was like comparing apples and oranges, with Mrs. Winchester’s more ‘traditional’ beauty, and Weiss’ mother’s ‘exotic’ combination of snow-colored waves, ice blue eyes, and fair complexion.

Weiss had been told many times that she looked like an identical version of her mother.The only thing she seemed to have inherited from her father was his straight hair - and his intellect, not that that would do her any good in the life they’d chosen for her.

On the occasions her family shared a meal with the Winchesters, there was a constant undercurrent of tension that refused to dissipate.While her family held seniority and a tremendous advantage in wealth, there was always an attempt to one-up anything the other family said or claimed.Her mother and father always won such arguments in the end, but it was still mentally taxing to listen to the thinly-disguised bickering throughout an entire meal.Most days, it was all Weiss could do just to keep from rolling her eyes in annoyance.

Like right now, her mother and Mrs. Winchester were having what, on the surface, appeared to be a civil discussion about the latest additions to their massive jewelry collections.But underneath those cordial tones were two women combating for superiority - each necklace valued down to the penny to prove supremacy.Even though Mrs. Winchester _knew_ she could never hope to best Weiss’ mother permanently, there was always a tiny glimmer of hope that she could wear the crown for a day.

Of course, if Sarah Winchester owned a piece of jewelry better than what Weiss’ mother did, the woman would go out tomorrow and commission an even grander piece to be custom made for her.

Such was the life of a matron of wealth…

The men, on the other hand, enjoyed talking about whose business was more prosperous - throwing around numbers and metrics that could hardly be compared to one another.One had a new hire capture ratio over .8 - the other had a field accuracy percentage above 85%.She didn’t believe either man knew which business was in a better position based on these figures, but that didn’t prevent them from holding lengthy arguments to prove their point.

That left her and Cardin, seated next to each other on one end of the large, circular table.

The boy had pretended to be interested in the business talk for all of a hot second before invariably reverting to texting on his phone, snickering every so often when one of his friends probably made a hellaciously-inappropriate comment about some poor girl. 

Since Weiss had been taught how _not_ to be rude at the table, she didn’t pull out her phone and instead let her thoughts wander - at the same time maintaining a loose grasp on the conversations in order to answer the inevitable questions that would be thrown her way.Her opinion wasn’t valuable - until it came time to settle a dispute of ‘which is better’ between the two women.Waters that must be traversed _very_ diplomatically...

At least the restaurant staff had recognized the importance of their table - bringing out their orders in record time.The food served as somewhat of a distraction, although she found herself moving items around her plate rather than eating it. 

She’d already been scolded for playing with her food before mentioning watching her weight for the wedding - the excuse earned nods of understanding and immediate acceptance from both women.In truth, Weiss felt like she might throw up if she tried to eat anything, having been extremely nauseous ever since she’d gotten off the phone with Ruby.

Ruby...

Weiss just wanted the meal to end so they could go to the church and finally go home.Hopefully, Ruby wouldn’t be too tired from the track meet, and they could spend some time texting before falling asleep.Maybe they could even talk on the phone tonight, because Weiss knew that hearing Ruby’s voice would instantly ease the knots in her stomach.

Lying to Ruby had cast a dark cloud over Weiss’ morning and spending lunch with the Winchesters had only added to her miserable day.But, incredibly, her day suddenly became even more dreadful.

Straightening in her chair, Weiss directed her eyes away from the front door for a second before turning back.Heart racing, she wondered what she’d done to deserve the very worst luck in the universe - because that’s the only thing that could explain what was happening right now.

Standing at the entrance to the restaurant, speaking amicably to the host as he collected a pair of menus, were Blake and Yang.

The two girls wore beautiful dresses paired with heels - the outfits confusing until Weiss remembered what Ruby mentioned about today being their anniversary.Five years...they must’ve decided to go somewhere nice to celebrate. 

As the host turned to lead the pair towards their table, Weiss silently begged the man not to bring them in her direction - still hopeful that she might somehow avoid being noticed.But he led them straight towards her, both girls doing a double take when immediately catching sight of her.

Weiss turned away with a blush, only to notice that Cardin’s eyes had locked onto Yang - or, more specifically, Yang’s ample cleavage - while the two were led to a table nearby. 

Blake also noticed the intrusion on her girlfriend’s form and gave the boy a scathing look as the host set down their menus and rushed back to the front - a look Cardin failed to notice with his eyes still glued to Yang, openly drooling. 

Of course, Yang was too busy staring at Weiss to notice the boy’s attention.And with the displeased look Yang was giving her, Weiss instantly knew that Ruby had told them her lie - that she was in business meetings with her father all day.

“Cardin,” she said in a hushed voice, trying to draw his attention away from Yang as Blake looked more and more likely to say something out of annoyance.

“Yeah?” he replied disinterestedly, not bothering to look at her. 

“Cardin!” she hissed louder, connecting the heel of her shoe into the top of his foot underneath the table.

“Ow!” he shouted - a little too loudly - before turning to her.“What the hell -”

“Don’t be rude,” she scolded him in a low voice, trying not to disturb their parents’ conversations.

“I’m not being rude - she’s fucking hot.”

Weiss cringed at the comment - wishing the idiot had a volume that was anything less than ‘obnoxiously loud.’Glancing over again, she knew his words had been loud enough for the two girls to hear by the way Blake gritted her teeth while Yang leaned forward to whisper something across the table.

Whatever Yang said seemed to do the trick, drawing a soft giggle from her girlfriend’s lips.

“Don’t be a pig,” Weiss mumbled as she turned away from the couple, very much wishing their meal was over _right now_. 

“Aw...is someone jealousss?” he goaded her, leaning over and playfully bumping his shoulder into hers.“Don’t worry, Weiss - you’re pretty hot too.But she’s like...sizzling hot. _Surface of the sun_ hot.”

“Do shut up,” she replied angrily, her face flushing in embarrassment at his degrading comments.

Chuckling, he moved away from her and turned back to his phone - now throwing glances over at Blake and Yang every so often.Weiss could only imagine the kinds of things he was texting to his friends now…

“Weiss.”

Her eyes snapped up at the sound of her mother’s firm voice, finding the woman and Mrs. Winchester both staring at her.

“Y-yes?” she replied.

“Do pay attention, child,” her mother admonished her sharply.“And don’t stutter.”

Her cheeks flushed with humiliation at the dual reprimands, catching the concerned glances Blake and Yang sent her way out of the corner of her eye.Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile and called upon every ounce of willpower she had remaining to make this as painless as possible.

“Yes, mother.Was there something you wished to ask me?” 

Satisfied with that response, her mother dropped a fraction of her annoyance and waved a hand towards their guest.

“Sarah asked you a question.”

“Your mother was telling me your dress was finished recently,” Mrs. Winchester said in a much more pleasant tone.“Is it as beautiful as she described?”

Refusing to allow her eyes to flit away for fear of being further admonished, Weiss gave the woman what she hoped was a big smile.

“Yes, it’s a gorgeous dress.Everything I could have hoped for.”

Pleased with the answer, both women smiled before returning to their own conversation.Looking down at her hands in her lap, Weiss focused on taking one breath at a time while watching her fingers tremor.

What had she done to deserve this day?Her morning started with such promise, but now...now everything was falling apart.

When her plate was finally removed from the table - still filled with food - she was relieved that this miserable lunch was finally over.With the recent change in events, she couldn’t wait to go to the church now - to be anywhere but here.

Weiss stood from the table only after her father had done so and followed the two heads of house to the door without glancing towards Yang and Blake once - not wanting to risk acknowledging their existence at that moment.It was only once she was outside that she patted her empty jacket pocket, knowing that what she was about to say would earn her a firm scolding later.

“Oh...I forgot my wallet,” she said before turning away from the two limousines and hurrying back into the restaurant.

The ‘lost’ item was actually safely stored in the opposite coat pocket - from where Weiss pulled it out while walking straight towards Yang and Blake’s table.Blake noticed Weiss’ approach immediately, nodding her head to alert Yang.

Yang swiveled in her chair - her eyes narrowing as Weiss walked up to the side of their table.

“Fancy meeting you here, Weiss,” Blake said softly.

“Meetings must’ve ended early, huh?Like, way before they even started,” Yang added, not one drop of amusement in the normally-teasing tone.

“They...they did.”

“Looks like you got your ring back, too,” Blake commented, pointing towards Weiss’ hand.

“The jeweler finally got it back to me.”Weiss compulsively touched the sharp object with her thumb, her stomach turning with nerves as she was backed into even more lies.

“You’d think they’d be faster,” Yang remarked, waving towards Weiss.“Since you’re a Schnee and all.”

“I told them there was no hurry.”

“Ah, I see.That was very...understanding of you,” Yang replied, her lilac eyes flashing with disbelief.

The three of them stared at each other for a few seconds of silence, the mood thick and tense.Yang was combative and Blake was not at all pleased with the situation, but Weiss didn’t know what they wanted from her.What did they expect her to say? 

She’d only come back inside to ask one thing - a question she couldn’t leave without knowing the answer to.

“Are you going to Ruby’s track meet?” 

Above all else, Weiss feared that no one would be there in the stands to cheer Ruby on.That Ruby might win, or lose, and look towards the crowds to find not one friendly face there for her.The thought threatened to break Weiss’ heart like nothing else could - her desire to be there for Ruby weighing heavily upon her - but the question only brought a frown to Yang’s face.

“I always make it to Ruby’s meets,” Yang said flatly.“I haven’t missed one since she started running.”

It was easy to infer what Yang was actually saying - ‘but here you are - eating lunch with your fiancéwhen you promised to be there for Ruby too.’ 

There was no reason to rub it in - Weiss already felt horrible enough about this entire situation.If she _could_ be there for Ruby, she would be.But sometimes circumstances were out of their control - surely Yang understood that.

“Could you maybe...not mention this to Ruby right away?” Weiss finally asked, the request causing both girls to widen their eyes at her gall.“I’ll tell her - I just...don’t think it’s worth upsetting her over right now.”

It wasn’t - not when the wedding was so close.There was no point in causing Ruby any premature pain.At least, it wasn’t worth it in Weiss’ opinion.Yang clearly thought differently, narrowing her eyes and shaking her head.

“Maybe _you’re_ ok with lying to her, but I’m not.”

“I didn’t -”

When they both raised their brows in unison, Weiss stopped the lie that was about to exit her mouth - her instinctive response to being backed into a corner.

“Finish that sentence, Weiss,” Yang prodded - no, dared, her.

“I didn’t want to hurt her feelings,” Weiss mumbled instead, glancing off to the side when the accusatory eyes became too much to bear.She _knew_ she’d messed up - but, honestly, what other choice did she have? 

“Well, now _I_ have to hurt her feelings,” Yang replied, her voice angry.“Or else let her continue to think you walk on water.”

Those words hurt a lot more than Weiss could have imagined - the revelation that Ruby adored her so much cutting to the bone.Especially when she didn’t deserve an ounce of that adoration.

“Yang, I’m -”

Her apology was interrupted when she saw Cardin re-enter the restaurant out of the corner of her eye - the boy quickly spotting her and striding over.

“Cardin?What are you -”

“Your mom sent me to check on you,” Cardin bluntly replied as he walked up to her, before noticing who she was speaking with.“Oh, _hello_ there.Weiss, do you know these two?”

He gave Weiss an eager expression before turning his attention back to Yang.Or rather, back to Yang’s chest.

“Oh, uh - no.They just helped me find my wallet,” Weiss replied, holding the item up in one hand to prove she’d found it.In her peripheral vision, she noticed Yang and Blake look at each other in shock.

“Ah, well too bad - they’re really hot. _Especially_ you.”When Cardin gave Yang a suggestive wink, both girls scowled in response. 

“Happy to help, _Miss Schnee_ ,” Yang replied, ignoring Cardin’s hopeless advances.

Yang probably would’ve said more if Blake wasn’t tightly clutching her hand on top of the table - Blake’s fingers digging into the back of Yang’s hand.

“Hey, maybe later you ladies can help _me_ with a little problem -”

Spinning away, Weiss grabbed Cardin by the arm and dragged him towards the front door before he could finish that thought.Thankfully, he didn’t fight against her - otherwise, she wouldn’t be successful in budging him an inch.

“Are you a prick _all_ of the time or is it exclusively when you’re around me?” she demanded, irritated beyond belief as she stomped between the tables towards the exit.

“Well since I’m not getting any from my _fiancée_ , I have to go elsewhere, you know?Hey, you don’t think those two are dating, do you?That’d be so hot...”

Weiss scowled at him, growing increasingly tired of his repugnant comments.

“You disgust me,” she spat as they walked through the front lobby, refusing to look him in the face any longer.

“I don’t see what the big deal is.You already know about the other girls.”

“It’s still embarrassing for you to do it right in front of my face,” she hissed back at him.Approaching the front door, she slowed her pace so that he could catch up - allowing him to step past her to hold the door - the courteous gesture hammered into him after years of scoldings. 

She could still vividly remember the time his mother yelled at him at his 10th birthday party for running through a door in front of her.She felt awful - she was the one who’d allowed him to rush past her, believing that the birthday boy should be first inside the party room.But Mrs. Winchester had made him hold the door for _everyone_ to enter first as punishment. 

That was the first and last time she’d seen him cry.

The air was frigid today - nearly creating steam when it touched her blazing cheeks.As soon as they’d left the restaurant behind, they dropped the argument in exchange for small smiles as they separated towards their waiting vehicles.

Weiss nodded to James as he held the door for her - the man giving her a sad, sympathetic smile that she didn’t deserve.Ducking into the vehicle and taking her seat beside her parents, she pretended as if nothing was wrong while accepting the immediate scolding for being so ‘forgetful and irresponsible’ in front of the Winchesters.

Her expression was impassive as she took the verbal lashing, but inside she was filled with turmoil.

Everything was wrong. 

Everything was terribly, terribly wrong.

Yang and Blake would tell Ruby that Weiss had been at lunch with Cardin instead of some big, important business meetings - and why shouldn’t they?Yang was looking out for her little sister, which was an admirable quality in any person.

But...Weiss had promised to cheer Ruby on at the track meet, and instead she’s having lunch with her fiancé and his family?What would Ruby say when she uncovered the lie?

For some unexplainable reason, Ruby placed so much trust in Weiss.What would happen when she learned that that trust had been taking advantage of?

In Weiss’ defense, she’d lied to keep Ruby happy.She only wanted to keep everyone happy - to prevent her two worlds from crashing into each other. 

She needed to text Ruby - she needed to text Ruby _right now_ \- but she couldn’t risk getting in trouble again.Maybe she could find a way to slip off for just a few minutes, but Ruby wouldn’t even get the message for the next couple hours... 

Weiss needed to fix this. 

She needed to fix this before everything spiraled out of control.


	21. Chapter 21

Ruby kept her word and texted as soon as she finished running, even though Weiss hadn’t been able to read the messages until a couple of hours later.It was good news too - Ruby won all of her events and Vale University placed second as a team, undoubtedly led by Ruby’s strong performances (even though she would never agree with that assessment).

From the exclamation points littered throughout the messages, Weiss could tell that Ruby was beyond excited after the competition was over.The euphoria could’ve stemmed from winning, or it could’ve come from Yang and Blake’s decision to break protocol and get ice cream to celebrate a non-injury finish to the winter season.

To Weiss, it felt like a suspicious time to break from ritual, but she tried not to dwell upon it too much.For all she knew, the girls decided that it was a good time to leave the injury rule behind.Or, more likely, the trio _always_ found an excuse to go out and get ice cream together.

When Weiss had finally returned home from the church - mentally exhausted and agitated from spending so much time with her parents and the Winchesters - she’d immediately messaged Ruby congratulations.That’s when the most disappointing part of Weiss’ day happened.

Ruby responded, but only to say that she was really tired from the track meet and was going to sleep early. 

It was disappointing because Weiss wanted to talk - she wanted to hear Ruby’s voice, knowing that the cheerful sound would wash away the worry over what had happened at lunch.But she didn’t feel right asking Ruby to stay awake with her, especially not when Ruby had physically exhausted herself earlier that day.

Before Ruby went to bed, however, Weiss did get her to promise they’d see each other the next day.No specific plans were made - just that they would see each other.It wasn’t exactly what Weiss wanted, but knowing she’d have a chance to make things up to Ruby was enough to allow her to fall into a fitful sleep.

When Weiss woke up, her senses immediately told her that there was something different about today.Something was brighter and...warmer.It took her a few moments to figure it out, but eventually she pinpointed the source of the change.It was the sun - the sun had risen and was now shining brightly with not a cloud in the sky to obscure its rays.

After dressing for the day, she walked over to the windows and discovered that it was not only sunny, but they’d received snow overnight.The grounds outside her windows were covered in a fresh layer of pristine white that was almost difficult to look at with the sun reflecting off its surface.

Standing close to the glass, she stared outside - her breaths creating a small circle of condensation that grew and shrank to match her inhales and exhales.Locating her snow barometer (nothing more than a bench sitting on the edge of the gardens), she estimated that they’d received maybe two inches at most.But it was still beautiful - a perfect blanket lying atop the world, untouched by human hands.The sun glistened off the surface, creating sparkles of light that looked like thousands of diamonds had been cast about their lawn.

There was less cold slipping through the window panes than the previous days.In fact, there was a bit of warmth touching her skin as the sun’s rays hit the side of the house.It was going to be a nice day - probably even a tolerable one to spend outdoors.

An idea popped into her mind - a suggestion for what she and Ruby could do today, if Ruby was willing.Something that would give them the opportunity to speak privately, without interruption, and spend some quality time together.

It might be a little too early for Ruby to be awake, but Weiss retrieved her phone and sent a text anyway - wanting to make sure Ruby remembered their agreement the instant she woke up.

_‘Good morning!Would you like to go for a walk with me today?I can meet you whenever.’_

Satisfied with the slightly-desperate invitation, Weiss headed downstairs for breakfast.Surprisingly, her phone buzzed with a response before she even made it to the dining room.

_‘Sure - how about 9?’_

The amount of relief Weiss felt at the reply was unquantifiable.With just a few words, Ruby provided assurance that they _would_ see each other today, and that was enough for Weiss to breathe a small sigh of relief.The affirmative response lightened Weiss’ mood considerably, even though a pinprick of concern wondered why Ruby was awake so early.

Regardless, if Ruby was willing to meet, then things couldn’t be that bad.Maybe Yang hadn’t said anything, after all.Or maybe Ruby was at least willing to hear Weiss’ side of the story.

“Good morning, Miss,” the chef greeted her as she walked into the kitchen.“What would you like this morning?”

“I’ll have a grapefruit,” she replied, watching the man spring into action to prepare her breakfast.She didn’t understand why she couldn’t do this herself - all she needed to do was cut a grapefruit in half and set it on a plate, after all.However, she’d been instructed not to partake in such ‘menial tasks.’Instead, she watched the man set both halves of fruit on the plate with a grapefruit spoon and slide it across to her.

“Thank you.”Taking the plate, she sat down at the dining room table and forced down as much as possible.Her appetite had left her recently, but she knew she needed to eat.As much as she used her ‘wedding diet’ excuse, there was a fine line between dieting and passing out from lack of nutrition.Seeing as how she had plans to walk with Ruby today, the last thing she wanted to do was pass out and cause a scene.

Half a grapefruit later, Weiss’ appetite disappeared when her mother strode into the room.It was early, but the woman was already dressed to the nines - looking like she had somewhere very important to be.

“You need to try on your dresses for the rehearsal dinner,” the woman said, skipping a ‘good morning’ or ‘how did you sleep’ in favor of getting straight to business.“Meet me in the living room in five minutes.” 

There was no time to respond as the woman breezed out of the room, leaving Weiss to shove away the rest of her breakfast and stand up.Five minutes essentially meant right this moment, as she was expected to be ‘timely.’

Walking into the living room (three minutes early), Weiss found that the space had been transformed and now looked much like the wedding dress boutique visited some time ago.A rack of dresses stood where a sofa used to be, while several tall mirrors were arranged to create a wide viewing area.

“Start with the teal one.”

Pulling the teal-colored dress from the rack, Weiss headed into the adjoining bathroom to change.Fortunately, these dresses were far easier to put on than the large, heavy wedding dress.It only took her a couple of minutes before she walked out of the bathroom and stood in front of the mirrors for her mother’s judgment.

Pursing her lips while scrutinizing the dress and its wearer, the woman shook her head.

“No.Try the next one.”

Without a complaint, Weiss pulled the second dress from the rack and went back into the bathroom to change.A few minutes later, she was back in front of her mother’s critical gaze - earning another disappointed shake of the head.

“Next.”

Returning to the rack of dresses, Weiss grabbed the next gown and retreated to the bathroom once again. 

Each dress was a different color and style, but crafted in her measurements and shipped to their home for convenience.Some minor alterations might need to be made, but a seamstress could be called at a moment’s notice to do the required work.She was grateful for the privacy, as it was easier to weather her mother’s cold judgment without an audience.

“Not that one.”

All of the dresses were Weiss’ to keep, but only one would be the ‘winner’ - the dress to be worn in a little over a week.Although why she wanted to keep the dresses that were so harshly dismissed, she didn’t know.

“Definitely not.”

The process was tedious, but at least it passed the time - and it was relatively easy for her to repetitively change while steeling herself against her mother’s gaze.

“Hmm…”

Weiss nearly stepped away from the mirrors before she realized this dress hadn’t been rejected yet.Standing in place, she watched her mother narrow her eyes in thought.

“Spin.”

Taking the direction, Weiss spun in a slow circle before coming to a stop.After several more seconds of analysis, her mother gave a single nod and stood up to leave.

“Perfect.That’s the one for the rehearsal dinner.”

The woman walked out of the room without another word - having far better places to be, apparently - and Weiss turned back to the mirror to take a better look at the dress selected for her.

It was red - a beautiful shade of red that would match the roses.Of course, it reminded her of Ruby...and would remind her of Ruby on the night she wore it again - the night before her wedding.

Sighing in a mixture of pain and regret, Weiss returned to the bathroom one last time to change back into her outfit for the day.She then hung the dresses on the rack with the winning red gown hanging on the end, before leaving the room behind in preparation for going to meet Ruby.

“Find a chauffeur for me?” she asked the butler crossing the foyer. 

“Right away, Miss,” the man said before rushing outside to do as she requested.While waiting for him to return, she searched the hall closet for her warmest winter coat, gloves, a scarf, and her best pair of winter boots - ones that would withstand walking through the snow. 

When the butler returned and motioned her outside, she recited Ruby’s address to the chauffeur and was immediately on the way, feeling anxious energy taking over the nearer her destination grew. 

She wasn’t very familiar with nervous habits, as her family’s status had insulated her from that all-consuming emotion, but she’d recently discovered that she would play with the ring on her finger, sliding it on and off repeatedly or just gripping it as if she might take it off. 

Touching her hand to her finger, she realized that the ring was currently sheltered by her gloves - an outline of the object pushing through the fabric.She pulled off the glove to remove it, only for the diamond to snag on the interior lining, a small tearing sound issuing a moment later.

With a big sigh, she stored the ring in its special compartment before flipping the glove inside out - finding a small rip in the woolen lining.It wasn’t large and, thankfully, the diamond hadn’t torn through the leather - no one else would notice except for her.

The streets grew familiar as the distance to the apartment grew shorter and shorter.The more ‘business-oriented’ section of Vale was left behind, making room for a middle-income area filled with apartment buildings and smaller houses squished in between.When Ruby’s building came into view, Weiss felt an ounce of trepidation dash through her veins - a feeling that only increased when she spotted Ruby waiting outside the building with Zwei sitting beside her in the snow.

The sight was soothing and nerve-wracking at the same time. 

While Weiss usually didn’t know what to expect from Ruby in terms of what the girl might unexpectedly say or do, she’d learned to expect a positive, sunny attitude that could lift her out of the darkest of times. 

But what would today bring?

“It might be a while, if you want to come back in an hour or two,” she directed towards the man in the driver’s seat before letting herself out of the vehicle.Stepping onto the sidewalk, a puff of air visible air exited her mouth, but the sun was doing its part in warming her skin - creating an odd cold-yet-warm sensation that was difficult to reconcile.

She forgot all about the weather when Ruby met her gaze - a small smile appearing on Ruby’s lips.

“Hey, Weiss.”

With just two words, Weiss knew something was wrong.The greeting was far less enthusiastic than usual, the smile was smaller than usual, and Ruby’s eyes were dull today - containing none of the encapsulating sheen they usually possessed.Ruby’s somber mood extended to Zwei, as well.The dog stood up and wagged his tail, but it was a soft, mellow wag very much unlike his normal hyperactive whip.

Two words and Weiss knew - Yang had told Ruby the truth. 

Ruby knew that Weiss was at lunch yesterday instead of in the business meetings she’d said she was going to.Ruby knew that Weiss had missed the last winter track meet to have lunch with Cardin instead.

Even though she’d seen it coming, the reality of the situation ran like ice water through her veins - her blood running cold as panic gripped her chest. 

“Hello,” she replied, forcing a smile even though her lower lip quivered with a rush of emotions.“You guys ready to go?”

When Ruby nodded, they turned and set off down the sidewalk, making their way towards the park where they’d first met.

Usually, their silences were comfortable - pauses in conversation that were enjoyable to stay within for a short period.Most of the time, Ruby would hum softly to herself, the soft sound melodic and calming to Weiss’ ears.But the way Ruby stared at her feet today - completely silent - put Weiss on edge.

What was she supposed to say?Where should she begin?Would Ruby even bring it up? 

She didn’t want things to be like this...Ruby’s downtrodden aura could break her heart into pieces.

“So, how were the meetings?Learn anything cool?”

When Ruby looked over to hear her answer, Weiss felt the first crack appear in the center of her heart.There was hurt in those silver eyes. 

She needed to fix this - she needed to fix it right now, before her heart broke apart.

“Oh, my dad canceled them last minute and dragged me to lunch before some ‘family outings,’” she replied nonchalantly, the agony in her chest growing when Ruby looked relieved by the answer. 

But Weiss continued anyway.

“And lunch was...not fun.But I ran into Yang and Blake celebrating their anniversary.”

Most of it was true.She _had_ been dragged to lunch, and it had _not_ been fun.And Ruby was smiling now, nodding her head as the glimmer of pain disappeared from her eyes.

“Yeah, they mentioned seeing you!I told them there must’ve been a change of plans!”

And just like that, Ruby was back to normal - innocently trusting Weiss when she shouldn’t.Ruby seemed vindicated, even, her words suggesting that she’d argued with the two girls in Weiss’ favor.

Weiss’ stomach turned in revulsion from the lies she’d just told, and from the way Ruby believed everything that came out of her mouth.Ruby _trusted_ her, and she’d just taken advantage of that trust, again.

At least Ruby was happy...but the price of her continued happiness grew steeper and steeper by the second.

Hoping the put the subject far behind them, Weiss looked around and recognized the flower shop on the left-hand side of the street.The park entrance was to their right - the area currently motionless and abandoned.The trees were now barren, save for a few evergreens that stood tall and proud amongst the brown skeletons.A thin line of white was visible on every surface - from the benches, to the branches, to the pathways.With so little snow accumulating, the sidewalks hadn’t been shoveled, leaving the snow undisturbed except for the footprints of the people who’d been there before them.

Weiss immediately noticed that Ruby liked to step where there were no imprints, even if it meant she had to leap from one spot to the next.The childlike behavior brought a smile to Weiss’ lips, admiring the way Ruby could find such simple things to take delight in.For her part, she tried to step where everyone had already walked - those slushy areas seeming safer in terms of not slipping on an unseen patch of ice.

After Ruby unclipped Zwei from his leash, the dog trotted ahead where the grass once was - each of his steps leaving a tiny paw print behind.He didn’t have to worry about stepping in anyone else’s footsteps - he had the grass all to himself.

“I’m really sorry I missed your last track meet, Ruby…” Weiss said to break the silence.“I would’ve much rather been there, believe me.”

She could never apologize for that enough, but she could at least try to clear the air of the memory for now.

“That’s alright,” Ruby replied, waving one gloved hand through the air.“You can make it up by coming to one next semester!It’ll be my last official track season.”

“Deal,” Weiss immediately agreed.

“And if you _really_ want to make it up to me, you could come to more than one,” Ruby suggested, turning to give Weiss a lopsided grin and a wiggled brow.

Weiss laughed at the proposal.Clearly, Ruby understood that she felt bad enough that she would agree to something like that.Plus, it would be nice to watch Ruby win - watch her best all of the other competitors thrown her way.

But then an unwelcome thought popped into Weiss’ mind - one that stole the oxygen from her lungs.

She would be married then.Did Ruby realize that?

Would they spent time together like this after that happened?Would Ruby still want Weiss to come to track meets?What will happen to them - to _this_ \- after the wedding?

Being anything more than friends would have to stop - that’s all Weiss was sure of.She couldn’t risk rumors cropping up about a mysterious relationship...but she didn’t want anything to change.She wanted everything to stay like it was.

An impossibility, she knew.For some reason, she knew that Ruby would...feel very differently...about her after she was married.Likely so differently that they couldn’t remain friends.Would that mean that they wouldn’t talk to one another anymore?No more messages, no more phone calls, no more...anything?

“You wanna hear what Emerald tried to do this time?”

“Please,” Weiss replied, wanting to hear anything that would draw her mind away from her current thoughts.

“Ok, well _first_ , she tried to get in my head before the first race - saying ‘I hope you don’t fall on your face again’ or something like that.She wasn’t even in that race with me!She just walked by and said it!”

“That’s pretty cruel…” Weiss said, although her lips refused to frown due to how widely Ruby gestured while they walked along the snowy path - Zwei buzzing along beside them.Thankfully, Weiss also knew this story had a happy ending, so it was hard to be upset about it now.

“But I _didn’t_ fall because _sometimes_ I can stay on two feet for an entire race.I ended up in the finals with her, but I got the inside lane and she was in lane six.You know what she tried to do then?”

“What did she do?” Weiss asked when it became clear Ruby wanted her to pose the question.

“She tried to get her lane switched!” Ruby said with a laugh.“Which is so dumb...they won’t switch lanes - we only stay in them for a few seconds anyway!”

“What was her reasoning?”

“Something about how the lighting bothered her eyes…” Ruby replied with a giggle.Letting out a little laugh herself, Weiss shook her head at how ridiculous this girl sounded.

“She’s really something…”

“Yeah!So, that didn’t work out for her.Yang said she looked soooo mad when we lined up to start.”

Ruby probably hadn’t meant it to be a dig at Weiss’ absence, but she still flinched in discomfort and jealousy when reminded that Yang had made it there when she had not.

“And then the other girl from her school false started - uh...started running before the gun went off...so we had to line up allll over again,” Ruby continued with a shake of her head.“But the next time we started clean, and I just _whooshed_ away from them!”

Ruby clapped her hands together, her gloves muffling the noise, before shooting one hand away from her in a whooshing motion.

“Anyway, the inside lane is awesome because you don’t have to merge - you just keep running as fast as you can until the race is over.You never see anyone in front of you - it’s just a wide open track.It’s almost like running alone, if you didn’t hear the sound of footsteps behind you.”

“ _Chasing_ you,” Weiss pointed out, making Ruby laugh.

“Yeah, that makes you want to run a _little_ faster.”

“I didn’t beat my record, but it was still good enough to win!” Ruby added.“And Emerald placed third, but ended up getting disqualified after the fact for grabbing this girl’s arm to slow her down.”

“Idiots never learn,” Weiss commented with a roll of her eyes, satisfied that the girl hadn’t gotten away with the antics this time.

“That’s why she’s still in school!She got held back - her and Mercury both.They aren’t transfers like Pyrrha.”

“Really?”

It was surprising to hear of people being held back these days - at least, to Weiss it was.Most of the children she’d gone to school with had been busy trying to move _up_ a grade.

“Yup!At least, that’s what I think happened.Other people say they spent a couple years in a detention facility in Vacuo - something about armed robbery?I think they just got held back, but let everyone _believe_ they were in jail so they look all cool and dangerous.”

Weiss looked at Ruby with wide eyes, but Ruby didn’t notice the glance while watching Zwei zig-zag across the sidewalk in front of them.The comment was worrisome, even more so due to the offhand way Ruby said it.Of course Ruby believed the sweet, innocent version of the story, but sometimes tales were just as nefarious as they appeared. 

Maybe Weiss was overreacting, but she should probably do some digging into Emerald’s background.A girl with that type of history...who was so competitive with Ruby...there was no telling what Emerald might do if she continued losing races.It might even be worth hiring an investigator to figure out the girl’s past, just to be on the safe side.

When Ruby turned off of the path and onto a patch of undisturbed snow, Weiss knew where they were headed.Treading more carefully upon the invisible trail, they quickly found themselves standing in front of the angel fountain Ruby had shown Weiss weeks ago.The water had been drained and the fountain switched off, but the statue in the middle was just as beautiful as the first day she’d seen it.The angel on top was covered in a thin layer of white snow, but the small cherubs underneath were still protected from any inclement weather.

They must be the first ones to travel this way today, as the snow in the clearing was smooth save for the footsteps they’d just created.Zwei added as many paw prints as possible though, running back and forth while smelling every surface he could find.

When Weiss and Ruby stopped in front of the fountain, Zwei jumped into the now-empty pool on his own accord - not waiting for Ruby’s approval.The little dog then ran in a few circles before nosing his way up to the statue, where he sniffed the base before lifting a leg to relieve himself.

“Zwei!” Ruby yelled, watching him with wide eyes.“What’re you doing??”

Weiss giggled when Zwei gave them an unrepentant glance before running to smell the sides of the pool, jumping out of the fountain after several seconds and rushing to a nearby tree.Watching the dog race away, Ruby chuckled and shook her head - strands of brunette hair falling across silver eyes.

“That’s not my dog.”

Weiss burst into laughter at the comment, her eyes meeting Ruby’s.

“Don’t look at me - he’s not my dog either,” she replied with a smile.

When Ruby unexpectedly took ahold of Weiss’ hands, her breath caught in surprise.Her initial reaction was to pull away in case someone was watching, but those adoring silver eyes prevented her from reacting upon instinct.They were alone here anyway - there was no reason they couldn’t share this moment...she just wished their gloves weren’t getting in the way of her feeling Ruby’s soft palms.

“You know...you’re really pretty when you smile…” Ruby said softly, her cheeks blushing ever so slightly at the words.

“Thank you…” Weiss whispered back, feeling her cheeks heat up from the compliment.She was never sure how to accept such words of praise, especially from someone she could write ballads about.

“And even prettier when you laugh.”

Opening her mouth to respond, she found no words to say.There was something about the way Ruby was looking at her right now - with an intense affection flowing towards her - that she wasn’t sure how to answer.

“Weiss, I...”

Pausing, Ruby briefly turned away as the flush on her cheeks deepened in color.

And, just like that, understanding hit Weiss like a bolt of lightning on a calm day - appearing out of nowhere, with no warning.The dots connected, the stars aligned, and everything suddenly made so much sense.

So much horrible, horrible sense.

_Please don’t say what I think you’re going to say,_ she silently begged Ruby. _Please don’t put those words out into the world._

“Ruby, you don’t-”

“Weiss, I love you!”

Weiss froze - the words stopping her breathing instantly.Even without oxygen, her heart pounded loudly in her ears, as if trying to jump right out of her chest.

_Don’t say something I can’t return..._  

Having shouted them in her nervousness, Ruby was now blushing even more furiously.Looking at the ground for several seconds, she collected herself before turning silver eyes back to Weiss.

“Weiss...I’m in love with you…” Ruby said quietly, her eyes determined as her hands gripped Weiss’ tightly, refusing to let go.

This should be one of the happiest moments of her life.She should be laughing, hugging Ruby, crying tears of joy…

This should be one of the happiest moments of her life.And it absolutely was, but it wasn’t.

Her heart felt like it had been ripped in two - one half dying while the other thrived.There was something so wonderful, magical, _powerful_ about those words...

Ruby fidgeted nervously in the silence, but when Weiss opened her mouth to respond, only a small, strangled noise slipped out.

“You don’t have to…”

She cut off Ruby’s forgiving words with a kiss, dropping Ruby’s hands in favor of grasping two fistfuls of her coat and pulling them together.Feeling Ruby’s hands slide behind her back, Weiss wrapped her arms around Ruby’s neck and pulled herself up on her tiptoes to deepen the kiss. 

She kissed Ruby as passionately as she could - as if Ruby might evaporate before her eyes at any second, as if this moment was so fleeting it could be taken away from her in a flash.She wanted to be the only one Ruby ever said those three words to.She wanted to be the only one those silver eyes ever looked at this way.She wanted to be the only one Ruby ever kissed.

Because she loved Ruby too.

But she could be none of those things, and she could say nothing in return.It wouldn’t be fair.She could only hope that her lips could somehow communicate her feelings - that Ruby understood how deeply Weiss cared.How much she wished they could remain like this forever - that their lives weren’t pulling them apart…

When they finally broke apart, breathing large puffs of air into the cold, Ruby looked down at her so...lovingly...that she felt her heart swell painfully.And when Ruby smiled, there was no sliver of pain in her eyes; there was no disappointment…

Ruby did know.Even if Weiss hadn’t said it, Ruby knew.

_What are you doing, Weiss?_

She jumped when something brushed against her leg, looking down to find Zwei sitting beside her foot.He stared up at her expectantly, his tail wagging back and forth across the snow.

“He uh…”Coughing when her voice came out raspy from emotions, she tried again.

“He looks like he’s ready to go.”

“Aww Zwei - you know how to ruin the moment, don’t ya,” Ruby replied, playfully nudging her pet with the toe of her boot.“Guess we have to do what the dog wants, don’t we?”

When Ruby offered her hand, Weiss paused for just a second before accepting it.They walked out of the park hand-in-hand - not a single soul in sight as they made their way back to Ruby’s home.They walked as slowly as their feet would allow, dawdling in every sense of the word as they attempted to fill every possible second with each other, enjoying the isolation they’d been temporarily granted.

It was as if the universe had decided that this would be their moment, and theirs alone. 

Ruby didn’t release Weiss’ hand until they reached the apartment door, and even then she only did so to retrieve a set of keys from her pocket.

“Do you want to hang out tomorrow?” Ruby asked while unlocking the door and pushing it open, releasing Zwei so he could run into the apartment for a drink of water.

“Yes, but don’t you have practice?”

A long time ago, Weiss had memorized Ruby’s practice schedule so she would know when to expect the girl to be busy.The lapses in communication had been far too disconcerting otherwise.

“No practices until next year,” Ruby replied with a shake of her head.“We’ll have our wrap up meeting and clean out our lockers in a couple days, but that’s it!”

“Oh...then yes, I would love to ‘hang out.’”

There would probably be some errands to run for her mother first, but she should be free at some point during the day.

“Cool - just text me whenever!”

Having just earned the unexpected surprise of no more track practices, Weiss smiled.That probably meant Ruby would have more free time that they could spend together over the next few days.Which meant Weiss should do her best to clear her schedule.

Her breathing suddenly slowed when Ruby leaned close to her, the smell of rose-scented shampoo washing over her.

“Soo...think I could get a goodnight kiss?”

Weiss instantly sputtered at the unexpected...and absurd...question.

“Night?It’s not even dinner time yet!”

“Yeahhh...but if you give me one now, I think it’ll tide me over.I think,” Ruby replied, her eyes twinkling with joy.“Unless you want to come back when I’m about to go to sleep and give me one then?”

Rolling her eyes at the second suggestion, Weiss leaned forward and gave Ruby a long, passionate kiss - allowing her lips to linger a lot longer than she should have.

“Goodnight,” she whispered, breathing the words into Ruby’s mouth before backing away with a blush.

“Goodnight, Weiss,” Ruby responded before quickly leaning in and stealing another kiss - laughing as she jumped into the apartment when Weiss swatted at her.“I’ll text you in a bit!”

With a smile still on her lips, Weiss shook her head at Ruby’s antics and made her way to the elevators.When she stepped into the first elevator to arrive, however, her smile dropped. 

She wished that the feeling Ruby filled her with wouldn’t fade so quickly.She wished it would linger like an imprint, providing enough happiness to last her the car ride home.But as soon as she left Ruby’s side, anxiety and helplessness returned.She knew why, but didn’t want to admit it to herself - 

The number of days they had remaining could be counted on less than two full hands now...

Stepping into the ground floor lobby, she was so caught up in her thoughts that she almost walked right past Blake and Yang. 

“Hey, Weiss.”

“Hello, Weiss.”

The greetings brought her eyes up in surprise - finding the two girls standing directly in front of her.

“Oh, hello,” she replied, trying to add a polite smile, as well.

“You and Ruby just get back?” Yang asked cordially.

“Yes, we took Zwei for a walk.”

“Ah…”

An uncomfortable silence settled over them after that statement, allowing little room for more pleasantries.

“Anyway, I hope you have a good afternoon,” Weiss said before stepping around them, deciding it would be best for her to take her leave. 

The glance they shared didn’t go unnoticed by her, but she chose to ignore it as she passed by and pushed open the front doors.They were probably upset at her for lying to them yesterday, and denying she knew who they were.Hopefully, they would forgive her one day...

She was already to the sidewalk when the sound of the front door opening and closing reached her ears.

“Hey Weiss, wait up.”

Just steps from the waiting limousine, Weiss stopped and waited for Yang to jog over to her.A couple of feet away, Yang stopped and shoved both hands into her front pockets in a gesture Weiss had seen Ruby do a thousand times.

“I hope you understand why I told her,” Yang began, the pseudo-apology genuine but not pleading.“She’s my sister, and I’ll always look out for her...even before myself.”

“I understand,” Weiss replied with a nod. 

And she did.If she’d been as close to Winter as Ruby was to Yang, she could imagine doing anything in the world for the girl - even if that meant telling her something she might not want to hear...to protect her.

“I guess you guys got it all sorted out though?”

“Yes, we sorted everything out,” she replied, sidestepping another lie, knowing Yang wouldn’t approve of _how_ they’d sorted it out.But Yang nodded in acceptance of that answer - in some respects, just as gullible as her younger sister.

“Good...but I’ve wanted to talk to you for a while now...about Ruby and...what the two of you have been doing.”

“We’re just spending time together,” Weiss replied, hoping Yang couldn’t tell that the two of them had been lip-locked just minutes before.But her comment earned her a disbelieving glance.

“Maybe I don’t come off as the smartest person in the world, but please don’t treat me like an idiot.”

Weiss’ mouth fell open in dismay, surprised by the unrelenting tone in Yang’s voice.

“I don’t think you’re an -”

“Weiss, she thinks the two of you are dating!” Yang broke in, skipping any back and forth in favor of getting straight to the point.“She thinks you’ll leave him.”

Whatever innocent act Weiss had been trying to maintain dissolved immediately.

“I...but I can’t do that.”

“What are you doing with her then?Is this just some weird fantasy you’re fulfilling before you’re married or what?”

Yang had both hands on her hips now - the posture demanding a truthful answer.

“No!No - I...care about her. _A lot_.But I can’t just _do_ whatever I want.”Weiss tried to be as honest as possible while still skirting around the real issue.

“Why not?”

The question was asked so genuinely...as if Yang couldn’t come up with a single reason why Weiss would marry someone she didn’t want to.It was actually quite remarkable how both Yang and Ruby were almost _confused_ as to why Weiss had to do this. 

Some built up frustration leaked out when she answered - frustration at her family, at the world she’d been raised in...at everything.

“Because!” she said, throwing her hands out in exasperation.“People like me don’t have that luxury.”

The words came out wrong - she knew it the instant Yang set her jaw.

“Right...as opposed to people like _us_ , who run around doing whatever the hell we want.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Then what do you mean, Weiss?Are you saying that your duty to be the banner girl for your family means you can’t love who you want?”

“That’s exactly what it means!” Weiss shouted, tears suddenly welling in her eyes.

What did Yang know about the pressure to maintain a family name?What did Yang know about the weight of responsibility to carry on a legacy built over generations and generations of hard work and sacrifice?

Yang thought that Weiss could just _tell_ her parents to call off the wedding?That she could tell them what _she_ wanted to do?She’d never been successful in accomplishing a _single thing_ her parents were against.She couldn’t even _cut her hair_ if her mother didn’t want her to.

Taking several deep breaths, she tried to calm herself while Yang stared at her - taken aback by the sudden outburst.

“It’s not my decision to make.”

Her voice was hollow - dead - the acceptance of her fate shining through.And Yang’s face fell in disappointment.

“If you’re just messing around, you need to stop right now.Ruby doesn’t deserve to be toyed with like that.You’re just going to break her heart...and from the looks of it, yours too.” 

Yang took one step, like she was going to leave, but hesitated and studied Weiss with caring lilac eyes. 

“Do the right thing, Weiss,” Yang said softly.“Ruby doesn’t see the future you and I both know is coming.Don’t make me regret not talking to her myself.” 

This time Yang did walk away, leaving Weiss frozen to the sidewalk.She stared at the front doors even after Yang disappeared through them, and jumped when her driver touched her shoulder with a quiet ‘Miss?’Snapping out of her trance, she got into the vehicle so she could be driven home - her mind in turmoil the entire way.

Was Yang right?Was Weiss using Ruby?She didn’t feel like she was, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t true.

Did Ruby really think Weiss could stop the wedding and they could be together?Because she couldn’t stop the wedding.She couldn’t.Her parents would never allow it.They would do _whatever_ it took to make sure it went through.If she so much as mentioned any reservations about the marriage, they would have her locked inside the house indefinitely.

Leaning back against the seat, she placed one hand over her heart as it beat with pain. 

She’d never suffered anything as torturous as not saying those three words back to Ruby - the three words she felt every second they were together.The three words she knew to be true…

The three words she could never allow to escape from her lips.

She wasn’t free to love whomever she wanted…

She couldn’t fall in love with a stranger in a park and live happily ever after…

A fairytale, her life was not.


	22. Chapter 22

_Why me?_

The question had run through Weiss’ head on repeat since the day before - ever since Ruby put three tiny, life-altering words out into the world.Why would Ruby love someone like Weiss - someone broken, weak, and controlled by her parents?Why love someone who couldn’t love in return?What had Ruby possibly found to love in her?

It made no sense.But, even so, Weiss knew what Ruby’s answer to those questions would be. 

Ruby would giggle and say, ‘because you’re funny and smart and pretty and kind and...’ all the other compliments she’d lavished upon Weiss in the short time they’d known each other.Because to Ruby, she wasn’t Weiss Schnee - the rich girl who was formal, stiff, and proper.She was just...Weiss - the girl who could laugh, joke, and not take herself so seriously.

The girl who could laugh at herself after mistaking Ruby’s outstretched hand as an invitation to kiss the back of Ruby’s hand like some prince.

“Y-you’re just s-so cute!!” Ruby gushed between her laughter, which only made Weiss blush further. 

“I...thought you wanted a kiss!” she replied, smiling regardless of her warm cheeks.

“I was showingggg you my tattoo!” Ruby teased, waving the back of her hand in front of Weiss again. 

Catching the rapidly moving limb, Weiss held it still so that she could take a better look at it.In the center of Ruby’s hand was a colorful red, white, and silver rocket ship.The sides of the ship bulged outward in an unrealistic manner, lending a cartoon-like quality to the image.

Running her thumb across the picture, Weiss savored the feeling of Ruby’s soft skin as the ‘rocket’ moved back and forth.

“I hope this is temporary,” she deadpanned, unable to prevent a smile when Ruby laughed.

“Of course it’s fake!I could never get a tattoo on my own - you’d have to come with me so I could squeeze your hand suuuuuper hard and maybe break some fingers!”

“I, uh...I’m honored?” 

“You should be!” 

Weiss grinned at Ruby - never growing tired of their banter.

“Are you ready to go?” Weiss finally asked, waving towards the vehicle parked behind her.She’d arrived at Ruby’s apartment only a few minutes ago, and Ruby had immediately raced out the front door before the car even pulled to a stop.

“Sure!But uh…” 

Glancing towards the chauffeur holding the passenger door for them, Ruby leaned forward and lowered her voice to a whisper.

“But I do want a kiss.”

Blushing at the honest admission, Weiss grabbed Ruby’s shoulder and pushed her past the driver - the man now looking at them curiously.With a giggle, Ruby jumped into the backseat with Weiss right on her tail. 

In between the time the door shut and the man made his way to the front seat, Weiss grabbed Ruby’s cheeks and turned the girl’s face towards her - planting a hasty kiss on Ruby’s lips before sitting back and tucking several strands of hair behind her ear as she tried to act nonchalant.Which would’ve been easier to do without Ruby grinning at her like a madwoman.

“Where to, Miss?” the driver asked as he buckled himself in, none the wiser to what had just occurred underneath his nose.

“Where would you like to go?” Weiss directed towards Ruby. 

Usually, they had a plan before they got into the car, but today Ruby said ‘come over and we’ll figure it out then.’It was a little unorganized for Weiss’ liking, but Ruby was unperturbed by their lack of direction. 

Maybe this was what ‘hanging out’ actually meant.

“Where do _you_ want to go, Weiss?” Ruby asked in return.“We always do what I want to do - let’s do something you want to do!”

The question made Weiss pause. 

Where she wanted to go?What she wanted to do?It wasn’t very often that those questions were asked of her.Usually, she was _told_ where to go and what to do.

“I don’t know…”

“What do you like to do?”

That question was much easier to answer - she liked spending time with Ruby.She liked coming up with things that Ruby would enjoy.She liked experiencing new things with Ruby - she liked laughing together, talking, holding hands, kissing…

None of those ideas were entirely helpful right now, unless Weiss told their driver to take a hike so the two of them could spend some time alone in the back seat.Other things she liked?Playing the piano, when it wasn’t too pressing on her soul.Or…

“Well, I’ve wanted to…” 

Her voice stalled, realizing that it was a boring suggestion and ill-suited for her present company, but Ruby had already perked up - attentively awaiting Weiss’ answer.

“You’ve wanted toooo...what?Come on, Weiss - it can be anything!”

Was Ruby really willing to do _anything_ with her?To go anywhere?

“I’ve wanted to go back to the art museum…” Weiss admitted.

“Done!Let’s go!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, of course - sounds fun to me.Kind sir!” Ruby called to the man in front.“Please take us to the art museum!”

“Which one?”

Ruby immediately turned to Weiss with wide eyes - an expression that drew a giggle from her lips.

“There’s more than one??”

With another laugh, Weiss gave Ruby’s knee a reassuring pat. 

“The Vale Museum of Art,” she directed the driver.The vehicle rolled into motion a moment later, and Ruby grinned at her - a smile she willingly returned.

Glancing down, she retracted her hand when she realized she’d left it on Ruby’s knee in a far-too-familiar manner.When Ruby giggled - undoubtedly noticing Weiss’ embarrassed reaction - Weiss sent her a playful glare that immediately morphed into a smile.

“Out of curiosity - how many art museums are there?” Ruby asked, leaning into Weiss’ side when the limousine turned a corner.

“In Vale?Four that I know of.”

“Wow.That’s a lot of art!”Pausing for a second, Ruby quickly broke into another smile.“And you’re so smart!Is there anything you don’t know?”

“Lots of things.” 

Chief amongst those - why Ruby would ever love someone like her. 

“Ok, maybe you don’t know _everything_ , but you know _just about_ everything,” Ruby replied.“Like...do you know how many art museums are in...Atlas?”

The answer was on the tip of Weiss’ tongue, but she stopped herself from saying it when she saw the way Ruby was grinning in anticipation.

“I don’t know,” Weiss fibbed instead, waving a hand as if the question was beyond her.“Probably around three or so…”

Ruby laughed at the horribly concealed lie.

“So three,” she said, again leaning into Weiss when the limousine made another turn.“Hey, have you ever thought about how it’s usually rich people who buy art, but artists are normally poor?Like, you’d think rich people would want to buy from rich artists, right?”

Chuckling at the thought, Weiss felt her heart skip in anticipation of the turn up ahead - knowing it would bring them back into contact.

Weiss would never admit this out loud, but she loved riding in a car with Ruby.The reason had little to do with the way Ruby chattered incessantly (although that was obscenely cute), but much more to do with how close she sat to Weiss.The first time they were in the backseat together, Weiss had given Ruby ample personal space, as was expected when traveling with a guest.However, Ruby then spent the entire ride scooting closer to Weiss while she struggled to maintain some semblance of distance. 

Eventually, Weiss realized that Ruby _wanted_ to sit close.Ruby _wanted_ to break through the formal barrier Weiss used with everyone else.So...she let Ruby sit wherever she wanted - even if that was practically on top of Weiss.Like right now, Ruby had crossed her right leg over her left and allowed her knee to hang over Weiss’ lap. 

From the way Ruby bounced her knee up and down right now, it seemed like an invitation to lay a hand upon her leg to stop it.A few more seconds of bouncing and Weiss took the bait - resting one hand gently on top of Ruby’s knee and steadying it instantly.

Then they shared a smile - Ruby’s wide and bright, Weiss’ timid and unsure.

_Is this just some weird fantasy you’re fulfilling..._

Being here together didn’t feel like a fantasy.This felt like something else entirely...something Weiss desperately needed to keep breathing - to continue living - for as long as possible.Without this, what would Weiss do?

She needed an answer, because that heartbreaking scenario could become a reality sooner rather than later.

“Hey.” 

Weiss jumped in surprise at the soft whisper in her ear, but quickly settled down when she realized it was just Ruby leaning in close to her once more.

“Hey,” she whispered back, turning to the side and getting lost in Ruby’s eyes. 

“You doing ok?”

There was no reason for Weiss to believe she was behaving strangely, but Ruby must have picked up on a difference in her mood.

“Yes, of course,” she answered, forcing a brighter smile than usual in hopes it put Ruby’s worries at ease.

Accepting the words at face value, Ruby smiled and leaned over until their arms were pressed together.Turning to the side and lowering her lips dangerously close to Weiss’ ear, Ruby breathed out a warm whisper.

“Did I ever tell you about the time I tripped into a fountain at school?”

Immediately laughing at the imagery, Weiss lightly shook her head while doing her best to remain as close to Ruby as possible - not wanting to lose the feeling of warm breaths that sent tingles up and down her spine.

“No,” she replied, her voice taking on a soft tone to match Ruby’s.“No, I don’t believe that’s ever come up.” 

“Alright - this is a good story -”

The story was made all the better for the jolts of electricity Ruby sent through Weiss’ veins with every whispered word.And when the vehicle took another turn...Ruby’s lips pressed right to Weiss’ ear for a kiss before smoothly moving away as the corner fell behind them.

Weiss’ blush took far longer to fade away, but, by the time they were dropped off on the sidewalk in front of the museum, her mood had lifted incredibly.Then again, it was nearly impossible to stay upset when she could feel Ruby pressed against her side, when she could hear that light-hearted laugh, when she could see every speck of detail in those silver eyes…

The amount of happiness Weiss gained from Ruby’s presence was remarkable.But maybe this was what it felt like to be loved...and to love in return.

“Let’s get inside,” Weiss said, having no desire to dawdle outside for long - the air too bone-chilling cold to spend more time exposed than necessary.It seemed like ages ago that the sun had blessed them with warmth - even though it was just yesterday when it was warm enough to spend a little time outside. 

Guiding Ruby by the elbow, Weiss led them swiftly across the concrete entryway towards the front doors.The building they were approaching looked like something a child had built with block toys - a square base on the right side of the building with a rounded dome on the left.The upper level was alternatively flat or rounded, depending upon which angle the building was viewed from.The windows themselves were unique shapes - circles, squares, triangles - that meshed more cohesively with the shape of the walls.

The entire structure made absolutely no sense from an architectural standpoint, but that was the idea - the museum itself was a work of art.

“I always wondered what this place was!” Ruby quipped, her eyes trained upward as they made their way to the front doors.“I thought it was some sort of science place though…”

Weiss laughed at the idea of scientists using such an inefficient and ‘artsy’ building for their experiments. 

“You know, my family owns a science lab downtown.”

“No way!Really?What’s it like??”

“It’s…”Calling the building to mind, Weiss tried to think of the most succinct way to describe it.“It’s as boring and sterile as possible.”

“Oh.”Ruby’s face fell for a second in disappointment, but the expression quickly disappeared as she skipped forward to open the door and bow Weiss through.

Giving Ruby a soft “thank you” for the chivalrous gesture, Weiss walked into the museum and felt Ruby appear by her shoulder a second later.The room they entered was large - the ceiling two stories away - and nearly every surface was painted pearly white.A small gift shop and café were located off to their right, while admission was purchased at the desk situated in front of two large archways serving as the entrance to the actual museum. 

Signaling for Ruby to wait a moment, Weiss walked up to the counter while noting that there were very few people here today.The cold weather had probably convinced most potential visitors to stay in their own homes rather than venture out, which was perfectly fine with her.Having more privacy with Ruby was never a bad thing.

“How may I help you?” the young woman seated at the counter asked as Weiss approached, her eyes lifting from the computer screen to give a friendly smile.

“Admission for two - for Weiss Schnee,” Weiss replied, pulling her wallet out of her small purse at the same moment the woman’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Oh!Weiss...Schnee, you said?You can go right on in, Miss Schnee.”

She nearly cringed at the response, but instead forced a small smile as she put her wallet away and turned back to Ruby - wishing she hadn’t just said what she did.Apparently, dropping her name was much more of a habit than she thought it was.She was used to coming here with her parents though, and her mother always did exactly what she’d just done. 

Their family had donated a lot of money to the museum over the years - enough to warrant celebrity treatment whenever they stopped by.And, if anyone looked closely (which she would try to prevent Ruby from doing), the Schnee name could be seen as donors of many of the pieces.

“Will you need anything while you’re here?” the woman called after her.“We can have a curator give you and your guest a private tour?”

Pausing, Weiss considered the offer for no longer than a half second before shaking her head.

“No, thank you.We’ll be quite alright by ourselves.”

Having the perspective of a curator would be interesting on any day but today.As greedy as this made her sound, she didn’t want to share her time with Ruby with anyone else - not even a tour guide.Plus, she should know enough about the works to provide some meaningful insight.At least, she hoped.But if Ruby turned out to be as good at art history as she was at ice skating…

Well, Weiss hoped that Yang never had her eye on one of the girls who worked the front desk here.

After waving Ruby forward, Weiss had company back by her side in a heartbeat. 

“Ready?” she asked, gesturing towards the entrance of the museum.

“You know it!”

With that response, the two of them walked through one of the archways and into the room beyond.

“Wowwwww.”

Ruby’s reaction was both adorable and appropriate for the first hall of the museum, which was as spacious and bright white as the entryway had been.Paintings hung on the walls, few and far in between.Sculptures claimed the floor space in the center of the room - various bronze or plaster structures twisted into the shapes of people or abstract objects.Each work of art also had a small placard near it which gave background on both the piece and the artist.

But Weiss’ focus was much less on the paintings as it was on the girl walking beside her. 

Ruby and museums didn’t mix - that was abundantly clear.Her lively energy was out of place in such a still and tranquil environment.In fact, if Weiss listened closely enough, she could probably hear Ruby’s cells buzzing with life.

This was quite possibly the world’s worst match of personality and activity.Why had Weiss even mentioned it?

It was true she’d wanted to visit again, as she hadn’t been here in quite some time and there was something about the quiet atmosphere that she found incredibly calming.The museum also owned several paintings that were amongst her personal favorites, but she could always come back by herself.It wasn’t worth wasting Ruby’s day just so Weiss could look at some pretty paintings.

Glancing at Ruby, Weiss’ concerns were instantly swept away.Ruby wasn’t bored.She was actually in bright spirits - humming a happy tune with a small grin on her lips.

Noticing the glance, Ruby beamed - a smile that Weiss returned with one of her own.

Maybe the paintings wouldn’t hold Ruby’s attention for long, but that was alright.It was the thought that counted, and it was very sweet of Ruby to go somewhere Weiss wanted to go.This will just be a completely different experience than what she was used to - not that that was a bad thing. 

“So uh...where do we start?” Ruby asked, waving her arms in two random directions.

“Follow me.” 

Leading them over to the first painting - with Ruby nearly skipping along beside her - Weiss felt her smile grow.Ruby’s energy added an exciting aspect to being here - something uniquely enjoyable Weiss wouldn’t expect to adore.But she loved the constant buzz of life by her side, and she could only imagine what Ruby’s thoughts would be on the first painting…

“What do you think?” Weiss asked as they stood in front of their first masterpiece.

The canvas was a large square that probably equaled Weiss’ height in either direction.It had been created by a well-known artist who’d lived some centuries ago.The man had had an avid fascination with colors - any and all colors.His most popular style was to use various shades of a single color to create an image.

At least, people _believed_ that he’d painted images amongst the brush strokes.In Weiss’ opinion, the man had done nothing of the sort.He’d wanted the viewer to _imagine_ what was there - to see things that didn’t exist.

This was one of the more difficult ones - a painting done in various shades of the color white.

“Uh...clouds?” Ruby guessed, squinting her eyes as if that might provide her with a different image.

“I can see clouds,” Weiss replied, smiling when Ruby’s brow furrowed.“I also see a snowstorm.”

“I guess I can see that…”Tilting her head to one side, Ruby then narrowed and widened her eyes while looking for more objects in a panel of white.

“It’s not about the picture, anyway,” Weiss explained.“It’s not about what you see or don’t see, or who the artist is.It’s all about the way it makes you feel.”

Ruby studied the picture thoughtfully, wrinkling her brow in an adorable display of concentration. 

“It makes me feel...clean.What about you?”

Laughing at the comment, Weiss turned towards the painting on their left so they could move on, feeling Ruby trail closely behind her.

“Clean is an excellent answer,” she replied, praying that Ruby wouldn’t press the question any further.

Being lost in a sea of white snow, unable to see anything besides the blinding white flurry…it made Weiss feel so incredibly alone and...hopeless.

Thankfully, the next painting made Ruby laugh the moment they stepped in front of it. 

It was a painting...of people looking at a painting.

“Someone could be painting us right now, Weiss!” Ruby remarked, throwing a look behind them as if she might catch the artist at work.“But why would anyone make this?”

“For the challenge,” Weiss answered, pointing one hand towards the canvas. “Look how he used two different art styles for the people versus the paintings within the frames.There’s long, fluid strokes and short, quick brush strokes.He actually managed to create a painting within a painting.”

“I guess that’s pretty cool…” Ruby replied, her eyes darting off to the next painting in the hall after only a few seconds.

Playfully rolling her eyes at Ruby’s short attention span, Weiss led them over to the next painting. 

She’d been right about the art not holding Ruby’s attention for long, but at this pace they’d be through the entire museum in no time.The rest of the paintings and sculptures in the first hall were analyzed in record time before they moved into the second area.The brevity of their stay would have frustrated someone like Weiss’ mother - who enjoyed pointing out every tiny detail in each piece - but Weiss found that she was enjoying herself quite a bit.

“Was that everything?” Ruby asked, looking around the room.Laughing at the question, Weiss shook her head and gently took Ruby by the elbow.

“There’s much more,” she replied, leading them into the room that held her favorite painting - an entire wall devoted to the masterpiece.Foregoing the other art for the time being, Weiss led them directly over to it.She didn’t know why she was so excited, but she really wanted to share this with Ruby.

The painting sprawled across three canvases - the final effect creating a panoramic image of a single, beautiful red rose in full bloom.The innermost point of the flower was on the center canvas and had been painted as if illuminated from within - bright red.But as the paint drifted in either direction towards the outer canvases, the red grew deeper and deeper as the mysterious light faded away.

Releasing Ruby’s arm, Weiss walked up to the image, standing a couple of feet from it while examining the brush strokes visible from this minimal distance.

“This is my favorite painting in the entire museum,” she admitted before turning back to Ruby.“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“It’s uh...it’s a rose,” Ruby replied, her silver eyes watching Weiss closely.

“Yeah, but look at the detail in the petals!”Turning back to the painting, Weiss raised a hand above the part she was talking about.“And this light in the center here...it looks like the rose is creating its own light.Like it only needs itself to be beautiful…”

Spinning back around, she found Ruby still staring at her.

“What?” she asked, feeling slightly embarrassed for her bout of gushing.

“Honestly Weiss,” Ruby began, her cheeks preemptively flushing. “It might be the most gorgeous painting ever...but it’s tough to tell when I’m comparing it to you.”

Whatever response Weiss had been expecting...well, it hadn’t been close to that.

Profusely blushing at the compliment, she coughed into one hand before moving to stand beside Ruby again, noticing Ruby tracking her every movement.After sweeping her eyes around the room - determining that no one was paying attention to them - Weiss reached down and grasped Ruby’s hand, giving a soft squeeze in appreciation for the nicest compliment anyone had ever given her and sincerely meant.

_If you’re just messing around, you need to stop right now._

Dropping Ruby’s hand, Weiss took a small step back so they were no longer in each other’s personal space.

“Come on, I want to show you something else,” she whispered before walking towards the next room, feeling Ruby’s presence behind her.After taking several deep breaths, she could still feel the compliment fluttering like several happy butterflies in her chest - a feeling that was entirely new and wonderful.

As much as Weiss would love to compliment Ruby all day, she also wanted to show Ruby one of the museum’s secrets.

The domed part of the building that they’d seen from outside actually connected two exhibit halls.Most people merely used it as a thruway from one room to the next, but it was Weiss’ favorite spot in the entire building - a location attached to fond memories from her childhood.

It was a large, open space between four archways - the curved ceiling arching high above their heads.If passersby stopped to look at the design, they’d find the ceiling was composed of a mosaic of tiny pieces of tile, while the arches were exquisitely painted in an arrangement of light blues, greens, and purples. 

But it wasn’t the aesthetic that she most enjoyed about this room.

“Over here,” Weiss said, gently taking Ruby by the shoulders and directing her to a spot where two archways met.When Ruby’s nose was nearly touching the very corner of the room, Weiss released her and stepped away.

“Am I in time out?” Ruby asked, the question making Weiss laugh.

“No, silly.Just stay like this for a second, ok?”

When Ruby nodded, Weiss hurried to the opposite corner and stood in the same position she’d just left Ruby in.Leaning forward an inch, she spoke in a normal voice.

“Ruby?”

The joyful squeal of surprise that returned to her lit a huge smile on her face.

“Weiss??I can hear you perfectly!”

Ruby sounded so delighted, Weiss couldn’t help letting out a giggle.

“Isn’t it cool?” she asked, her cheeks darkening in embarrassment when she noticed a couple behind them and stared - no doubt wondering why they had their noses stuck into the corners of the room.

“Totally!” Ruby replied.“But...how does this even work?You’re way over there!”

“It’s the way the room is made.Sound travels across it easily.”

“Soooo cool!Wait - how’d you even know about this?”

“When I was younger, my family was here quite often for events and fundraisers.They were boring for children, so my sister and I…my sister and I would spend most of the night whispering back and forth about the guests.”

Feeling a lump of nostalgia appear in her throat, Weiss paused and tried to collect herself.

Those were some of the few good memories with Winter...when it had felt like the two of them were united rather than in competition with one another.Although looking back, it was easy to see how different they would’ve grown up to be.Winter was always ridiculing the outfits the guests wore or guessing which husband was cheating and with whom.As the younger child, Weiss had followed her sister’s lead, but never felt as much gusto about it as Winter did.

But one time - and Weiss could still remember it clearly to this day - Winter said that she was glad Weiss was her sister and not one of the bratty twins who’d been with them on that particular night.Winter probably hadn’t meant for it to be so impactful, but it was one of the nicest things she’d ever said to Weiss.

Trying to swallow the knot of emotion in her throat, Weiss coughed softly when she found little success.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when two arms wrapped around her from behind, but relaxed when she identified the familiar warmth behind her.Ruby wrapped her in a hug and rested a chin upon her shoulder.

“Ruby…” she warned, squirming until Ruby’s arms tightened and prevented any more movement.

“Don’t worry; no one’s around,” Ruby spoke softly into Weiss’ ear. 

The words were immediately reassuring and allowed Weiss to relax into the respite Ruby was providing her.

“You never talk about her…” Ruby whispered, her tone simple and reassuring as she nuzzled into Weiss’ hair.

“She wasn’t a very nice person…” Weiss whispered in return, recalling some of the more horrible things Winter had said or done as an attempt to distance herself from the sadness she was currently experiencing.

“She was still your sister.”

It was such a simple sentence - a well-known fact - but the way Ruby said it made Weiss feel more at ease than she’d felt in a long time.It was permission - and a blessing - to admit that sometimes she missed Winter.That sometimes she was sad her sister had been taken away from the world so soon.

Spinning around in Ruby’s arms, Weiss quickly scanned the empty room before wrapping her arms around Ruby’s neck and placing a quick kiss to Ruby’s cheek.

“How’d you get to be so sweet?” she asked, gazing deeply into kind, silver eyes as her grief disappeared.

“Maybe it’s all the desserts I eat,” Ruby responded with a crooked grin.Weiss chuckled and shook her head at the response, which was to be expected from someone who regularly ate two desserts.

“Maybe…” Weiss replied.“Or maybe it’s just who you are.”

“Maybe it’s who you make me.”

The response was far from the truth, but Weiss smiled anyway - appreciating the sentiment. 

But there wasn’t a mean bone in Ruby’s body.Everything about her was sweet, innocent, and pure.She was the kindest person who’d ever walked the planet - of that, Weiss was sure.

_Ruby doesn’t deserve to be toyed with._

Unwrapping her arms from Ruby’s neck, Weiss slowly lowered them to her side - already missing the feeling of contact between them. 

But Ruby didn’t release her, and a fire ignited in her chest when she saw desire building in Ruby’s eyes.Her mind began to blank out - the only remaining thoughts revolving around how badly she wanted to kiss Ruby at this moment.

And then the moment snapped. 

Leaning forward, Weiss captured Ruby’s lips in a passionate, loving kiss, reveling in the sensation before she was forced to break away far too soon - blushing furiously and staring at the ground when she heard several people walk past them.

Directing her eyes anywhere but at Ruby, Weiss slipped out of the girl’s grasp and coughed again in embarrassment.

“S-so...what would you like to do now?We can see some more paintings or…”

“Or maybe...lunch?” Ruby suggested.

Looking over, Weiss had to laugh when she found Ruby using her best pleading eyes while pitifully patting her remarkably-flat stomach.How had Weiss forgotten to provide food for the poor girl?That was the single most important thing to consider when spending time with Ruby.

“The museum café is pretty good - want to eat there?”

“Sure!” Ruby replied, happily following Weiss towards the exit on their way to procure some food.

The café was small and well-kept - one of those eateries where meals were the ordered at the front counter and delivered to the table based on number.After their order was placed, Weiss carried a thin, wire stand with the number ‘51’ written upon it to their table.

Thankfully, since the business wasn’t very busy today, their food was delivered in no time.

“That’s all you’re going to eat?” Ruby asked as soon as the waitress stepped away, pointing at the food in front of Weiss.She’d ordered a bowl of soup, which came with a small piece of bread on the side.It wasn’t much, but _nothing_ looked like very much when compared to Ruby’s whole sandwich with fruit, a bag of chips, and two cookies.

“I had a big breakfast.”

The words slipped out of Weiss’ mouth - an automatic excuse that had been used recently to explain her waning appetite at the dinner table.But she paused when she heard the words uttered to Ruby.

Now that she thought about it, she’d forgotten to eat breakfast.But Ruby had already nodded in acceptance of Weiss’ answer and started eating, so it wasn’t worth correcting such a harmless slip of the tongue.

Her appetite just hadn’t been that large recently...and when she did eat, it made her nauseous afterward.She usually found more success eating in Ruby’s company, but she couldn’t request that Ruby accompany her for all her meals.

It was likely the result of nerves and stress - nothing anyone needed to be worried about.

Dipping her spoon into the bowl of hot soup, Weiss swirled the contents around several times before lifting a spoonful to her lips - watching the steam rise off it in thin wisps.Blowing once, she put the soup in her mouth and swallowed, smiling as she watched Ruby begin the second half of her sandwich.

“Do we need to order more?” Weiss asked, dropping her spoon into the bowl while watching Ruby in amusement.

“I’ll let you know when I get to the end!” Ruby replied before taking another large bite.

Two sandwiches, a bowl of fruit, a bag of chips, eight cookies, and a short car ride later, they found themselves in the lobby of Ruby’s building once again.Weiss had followed Ruby inside after she whined about saying goodbye ‘in the street,’ but not it looked like ‘in the lobby’ wasn’t acceptable either.

Few things were as difficult to say ‘no’ to as Ruby’s puppy dog eyes. 

“So...what are Yang and Blake up to today?” Weiss asked after hesitantly stepping into the elevator with Ruby.

“Oh, they both played hooky and went shopping,” Ruby replied without so much as a curious glance for the question.“Something about some ‘retail therapy.’”

“Ah.Sounds like a good day.”

Ruby didn’t notice Weiss’ breath of relief, but the knowledge calmed her immeasurably.Now, she didn’t have to worry about running into one of the girls today.Instead, she gladly walked Ruby all the way to the apartment and stood patiently outside while Ruby found her keys and unlocked the door.

“Do you want to come in?” Ruby asked, opening the door and stepping just inside.

“Oh, I should probably get home soon…” 

Weiss regretted the answer as soon as it left her lips, but - as much as she wanted to spend more time together - she didn’t want to risk being caught by Ruby’s...somewhat protective roommates.And honestly, she didn’t know what to expect of herself if the two of them were to spend _alone_ time together...in a private location, no less.If they were allowed to kiss without interruption, would Weiss ever stop?

Fortunately, Ruby nodded in understanding before leaning out the doorway and looking both directions down the hallway.

“Then...do you want a kiss?”

It was remarkable that such a question - asked in nothing more than a whisper - could cause Weiss to blush so profusely.

“I, well…”

Yes, yes she did want one - the mere mention awakening hunger within her.

“Just one?” Ruby asked with a sweet smile.“One longggg one?”

Ruby was already snaking one hand behind Weiss, fingertips grazing the small of her back. 

The light touch was more than enough to push her forward - stepping the half foot inside the open door to meet Ruby’s lips in a hungry kiss.

Maybe Ruby would have broken away after just one kiss, but Weiss couldn’t.She turned one into two, and two into three - there was no end to her greed for Ruby’s attention, always left feeling desperate for more.She wanted more of everything. 

She wanted to feel more of Ruby’s lips on her own, on her neck - kissing along her collarbone before trailing along her jaw.She wanted to taste more of Ruby’s tongue as it clashed with her own.She wanted more of Ruby’s touch as soft fingers swept through her hair and moved tantalizingly close to the hem of her shirt.

She wanted more of everything.And she wanted _everything_.

They were almost fully inside the apartment now - a few steps further and Weiss could reach out and push the door closed behind them -

_Do the right thing, Weiss._

Before she lost complete control, Weiss managed to break away from Ruby’s lips.Her breaths came in short gasps as she tried to regain air, while Ruby’s hair was a disheveled mess from where Weiss’ fingers had just run through it.

Taking a step back to remove herself from Ruby’s space, Weiss tried to slow her rapidly-beating heart.Every inch of her skin felt like it had just woken from a deep sleep - tingling with energy as blood rushed through her body at an incredible pace.In these short moments, she felt so alive...

“Talk to you soon, ok?” she whispered, receiving a grin and a nod before she turned and made her way back to the elevator - back downstairs and into the waiting vehicle.

_One more day lost_ , she thought as the limousine pulled away from the curb - pulling her out of Ruby’s life once again.A lump re-appeared in her throat - this one having nothing to do with the sadness of the past, and everything to do with the sorrow of tomorrow.

_You’re just going to break her heart...and, from the looks of it, yours too._

Covering her face with her hands, Weiss felt hot tears sting her eyes while trying to shut Yang’s words out of her head - words that haunted her almost as much as Ruby’s ‘I love you’ did.

Couldn’t anyone see?Her heart was already broken - it had been for quite some time now.What was going to happen next would just tear it to pieces...


	23. Chapter 23

By now, Weiss had grown accustomed to the feeling of dread she woke with each morning - the knowledge of another calendar day slipping away sitting heavily upon her chest.It was as if a great weight was placed on her covers overnight, pressing her down into the decadent bed and daring her to try to get up.

Time was not on her side, stubbornly marching forward without her consent. 

She knew what needed to be done - the ‘right’ thing to do - but she was paralyzed by indecision, hoping to squeeze out just a few more minutes, a few more seconds, of happiness before facing reality.Like most addicts, rather than deprive herself, she enabled - each morning immediately reaching for her phone to check for messages from Ruby. 

Much to her pleasure, Ruby had been waking up earlier than usual recently.Whether that was due to track being finished or school nearing winter break, Weiss didn’t know.A selfish part of her wanted to believe that Ruby was aligning their schedules by design - so that they could have more time together - but the realistic part of her knew it could very well be sheer luck.

Whatever the reason, she was grateful for it.The blinking light on her phone that allowed her to take the first real breath of the day - a fix that sent her to an immediate high as she threw the featherweight covers off and swung her feet to the floor.

Sitting up in bed and opening the message, she discovered it was a picture.It looked like it had been taken outside the kitchen window in Ruby’s apartment, and it was of the snow coming down in thick, fluffy flakes.The message accompanying it read _‘just like that painting yesterday!’_ which made Weiss laugh in the quiet room.

Standing, she walked over to her own windows and found that, just like the picture showed, snowflakes were falling in droves this morning.The fluttering pieces of white were so condensed, they obscured her view of the gardens below.Even her snow barometer - the bench sitting practically underneath her window - was hardly visible right now.

She hadn’t known that it was going to snow today, but she’d been too caught up in her own life to pay much attention to the forecast.But it looked like this could be a substantial storm, complete with the type of snow that would accumulate in no time.

Tearing her eyes from the winter wonderland under rapid construction outside, Weiss typed a quick reply to Ruby’s message.

_‘You might have a career in art yet,’_ she wrote, before following up with a simple, _‘What are you going to do today?’_

No sooner had she turned her gaze back outside did the phone ring, Ruby’s name displaying upon the screen.Of course, Weiss quickly answered.

“Hello?” she asked, curious as to why their text conversation had been abandoned so quickly.

“Hey, Weiss!I didn’t feel like texting anymore,” Ruby responded.

“We only sent like three texts!I think you just wanted to hear my voice,” Weiss teased, smiling when Ruby laughed.

“Ahh...you caught me there!You know your voice sounds like an angel’s - I’ve told you that, right?”

“N-no you never mentioned that before.” 

Three sentences into the conversation and Weiss was already flustered by Ruby’s offhand comments. 

“Oh...well, your voice sounds like an angel’s!” Ruby proclaimed, giving Weiss no time to respond to the compliment before moving to the next topic.“But anyway, to answer your question, I have a few things to do at school today.You wanna hang out later?”

“Yes,” Weiss replied - the answer instinctive by this point.“How about dinner?”

“You’re on!Oh, wait, actually...Weiss, I’m officially inviting _you_ to dinner - so that I can finally pay.”

Weiss chuckled at the response, which was a long time coming seeing as how she’d listened to several recent complaints about how Ruby never paid for their meals.

Honestly, Weiss wouldn’t care if she paid for all of their meals, _forever_...but if it would make Ruby feel better to pay every once in awhile, Weiss would certainly oblige.Just as long as it wasn’t _too_ expensive...and not _too_ often.

“Ok, Ruby.I accept your invitation.”

When Ruby giggled, Weiss felt her spirits lifted right over the phone.

Was there anything better than hearing Ruby giggle first thing in the morning?

“Awesome!But I should probably get going now.I’ll text you later, k?”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“Me too!You’re the best, Weiss.Mwuah!”

Smiling as she lowered her phone to her side, Weiss wondered if she would ever have the courage to make a kissing noise over the phone.Ruby did it...all the time...and each time it made Weiss’ heart do a stutter step - almost as if Ruby had actually just kissed her.

Her mind flitted back to yesterday, and the kiss they’d shared last.Maybe it was her imagination, but it was growing harder and harder to stop.Sooner rather than later, they’d cross every line and find no way back. 

But as their time dwindled, Weiss grew more ok with crossing lines.If they couldn’t be together forever, she wanted to leave something of hers with Ruby - something no one else could ever have.

Looking out at the snow again, she watched it continue to pile up on the grounds surrounding her home.Depending on the length of the storm, they could have a foot of fresh snow before the end of the day - maybe even more if it continued through the night.

A thought tugged up the corners of her lips then.

Ruby would probably love to build a snowman in the yard.Or a snow fort.Weiss could invite Ruby over tomorrow if the snow stopped, or if it slowed down enough to be comfortable outdoors.As long as Weiss’ mother was out of the house, it would be fine.

Plus, Ruby would look really cute all bundled up in snow clothes.

When her phone buzzed, Weiss looked down at it with a smile - expecting another text from Ruby already - but the name written there erased her good humor entirely.

Cardin?What was he texting for?

Reading the incoming message, Weiss stopped breathing.Her mind reeled as she pressed one hand against the cold glass of the window to prevent herself from losing her balance.

_‘We need to talk about your girlfriend.’_

A second text arrived a few seconds later, supplying her with a time and location to meet that day - in just a few hours.The messages filled her with horror, a deeply-seeded fear having just materialized. 

What did he know?He couldn’t know anything...could he?If he didn’t, why would he send such a message?And why now? 

For a brief second, Weiss considered ignoring him completely.She could delete the messages and pretend she’d never received them.But what might he do then?Would he come over to the house?That was _not_ a conversation she wanted her mother to overhear...and an angry Cardin would cause a huge scene.

After sending nothing more than an ‘ _ok_ ’ in response, she dressed and paced her room while waiting for an appropriate time to leave, her mind racing all the while.Whatever good feelings she’d had from her morning conversation with Ruby had disappeared.Not even the prospect of dinner tonight could improve her mood.

Usually, she knew what to expect from Cardin, but this...this was a situation she’d never dealt with before.While she didn’t fear him directly, she feared what he could do if he opened his mouth and started telling everyone he knew.

Every few minutes, she looked at her phone - wanting to call Ruby, but knowing that she shouldn’t.Her first instinct _was_ to tell Ruby and seek out advice on what to do.Unfortunately, this was the one subject where Weiss was on her own.

So it was with an all-consuming fear of the unknown that she reluctantly entered a vehicle to be driven to the popular coffeehouse Cardin had directed her to.She didn’t know what he knew, how he knew it, or for how long - all unknown variables that wracked her nerves as she neared her destination.

Her ‘girlfriend.’He’d specifically used the word girlfriend.

She wasn’t dating Ruby.

They spent a lot of time together; they were in near constant communication; they...sometimes...kissed, but nothing had ever been stated about a relationship above friendship.And _that_ term had never been used - Weiss had made painfully sure of that.

Sure, Ruby had confessed to loving her.And maybe she felt the same way in return.But they weren’t _officially_ dating.

Sighing, Weiss leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. 

Building an argument off of a mere technicality was never the best position to be in, but that’s the situation she’d forced herself into.She’d let everything progress too far. 

It was possible - a slim hope she immediately latched onto - that maybe Cardin knew nothing.Maybe he was guessing or trying to see how she would respond to such an allegation.Maybe he was trying to rile her up for the fun of it.She wouldn’t put that past him.His sense of humor was juvenile, at best.

“Please wait,” she directed the chauffeur before rushing through the thick snow and into the bustling coffeehouse.After brushing snowflakes off of her jacket (the majority melting before she could do so), she scanned the busy establishment before picking out Cardin at one of the tiny, round tables.

Today, more than usual, the mere sight of him irritated her.The expensive clothing, constant texting on his phone, smug smile...he was everything she despised about life among the ‘elite.’Yet _he_ was the one she would spend the rest of her life with.

Not wasting any time, she stalked up to him, her annoyance taking over.

“You’d better have a good reason for calling me here on such short notice,” she snapped, pulling out her chair and sitting down before he could stand and do it for her.

“Calm down, Weiss,” Cardin replied, sitting back in his seat with far too much nonchalance.“No need for hostility.We’re just going to have a little chat about your girlfriend.”

“I have plenty of _friends_ who are _girls_ \- which are you referring to?” she retorted, trying to hide her worry behind irritation.

Again with that smirk.

“No, I mean your _girlfriend_ ,” he repeated.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she huffed, but the words only succeeded in causing him to slam a palm loudly on the table, rattling their water glasses and drawing several curious eyes their way.

“Don’t lie to me,” he hissed across the table, his jovial demeanor flashing to anger for a split second before he leaned back with another easygoing smile.“Sky saw the two of you kissing yesterday.”

“What are you talking about, Cardin?Where -”

The question failed to exit her mouth when she suddenly realized what had happened.

Sky Lark, one of Cardin’s best friends from school.The boy’s family ran the art museum, so it wasn’t unusual for him to be there - but she thought Sky had moved to Atlas for several years.Cardin never mentioned that he was back in town...

For the wedding.Sky was back in town for the wedding…how had she not thought of that?

“Some girl who runs track at Vale U.?” Cardin continued, breaking into Weiss’ thoughts.“You could’ve at least done better than that.”

Feeling the blood drain from her face, Weiss gawked at him, unable to believe the words that had just come out of his mouth.

“How do you -”

“Sky recognized her.He used to go to the track meets to check out girls - pick up the ones who’d just lost and were feeling down on themselves.”

Cardin grinned at his friend’s ‘genius,’ while Weiss was mortified that some guy had been checking Ruby out without anyone noticing.Mortified and terrified.

Forget the hope that Cardin knew nothing - he knew _everything_.Denying it would be pointless and only make him angry - something Weiss didn’t want to do.Especially when he knew exactly who Ruby was...and where to find her.

Weiss was fine sacrificing her own wellbeing, but she couldn’t let anyone hurt Ruby.And who knew what Cardin and his friends might try to do?

“Not doing anything you haven’t already done, Cardin,” she replied, flipping her hair to one side.She tried to act as if she didn’t care that he’d found out, but her heart was racing and her palms were sweating as fear coursed through her veins. 

He laughed at her response and leaned back in his chair, raising both arms and putting them behind his head.How he could appear so relaxed at a time such as this, she had no idea.She was sitting ramrod straight - her posture frozen as she tried not to move a single muscle.

“That’s true,” he admitted with a self-satisfied smile.“But that doesn’t mean you can keep seeing her.”

“ _You’re_ allowed to traipse around with whatever woman you can get your hands on, but I’m not?”

Of course, Ruby was _nothing_ like the girls Cardin saw, but it wasn’t worth diving into those details with the idiot.To him, every woman was a conquest - a trophy.Some _thing_ to be won and bragged about before the next big thrill was sought out.

“Yes, because I’m the man - that’s what’s expected of me.”

Weiss scoffed at the response, indignant at the sexist remark.But...he was right - that was the way things were.She’d known that for some time now. 

Wealthy men were allowed to have as many affairs as they wanted and, if things came to light, all that was said was something along the lines of ‘boys will be boys.’But if a woman was to have an affair...well, it would be seen as disgraceful, leaving a heavy stain upon their family.

It was a double standard; it was unfair - but that didn’t make it any less the way of life.Why else would Weiss’ mother sit idly by while her husband went through affair after affair?It’s not like the woman didn’t have the opportunity to find someone to keep her company on the side.She just...couldn’t.It was too risky.Instead, she suffered through the indignity in silence.

“Right, and I’m supposed to just sit around waiting for you to come home,” Weiss said, hearing the disdain in her tone.

“Exactly - it doesn’t look good for a woman of your status to be seen in public with someone who’s not your husband.So really, your options are me or nobody.”

She frowned at the response, feeling the words as truth but struggling to maintain that they weren’t. 

Cardin or nobody?Was that really what her life boiled down to?Every choice she’d made up until now...and that’s what she was left with?

“You can’t be serious.”

“I think you’ll find I’m very serious,” he replied.And his expression was serious - calculating and manipulative unlike anything she’d seen from him before. 

“You can break things off with her,” he added.“Or we can see how your parents feel about your little _relationship_.”

The threat hung in the air like a noose over her head, both of them waiting to see if she’d put the rope around her neck. 

Her parents…

This wedding had nothing to do with Weiss’ happiness and everything to do with business and prestige.Her father would be angry about the lost successor and connections; her mother would be livid about the embarrassment it would bring to their family.Throw in the fact that Ruby had little money to speak of...

If Weiss knew anything about her mother, the woman would forbid her from seeing Ruby again - maybe even going as far as to assign her a personal bodyguard who would ensure this happened.

As if that wouldn’t be horrible enough, the woman might go after Ruby.One call and she could have Ruby kicked off the track team or worse - expelled from school.She could keep Ruby from being employed _anywhere_ in Vale, ever.All depending on how vindictive she was feeling that day.

So, Weiss’ options were basically bad, or awful.

Why couldn’t Ruby be the daughter of some wealthy, influential family?Or maybe a celebrity?If she was, people would think less of why they spent so much time together.People wouldn’t inherently wonder why two girls from such different backgrounds were friends.Weiss’ parents might even view their friendship more favorably, as a possible connection rather than a hindrance.

If only…

Weiss’ thoughts ground to a halt while Cardin continued to watch her, patiently waiting for a response.

What was she even thinking?She didn’t want Ruby to be different.There was nothing about she would ever want to change.Why couldn’t _she_ be different?She’d never asked to be born to a rich and powerful family.She’d never wanted to be wealthy.She’d never wanted _any_ of this.And she was positive there were millions of girls who would love to switch positions with her.

“Why do you even care, Cardin?” she finally said, exasperation creeping into her tone.“It’s not like your position is threatened.”

“Because you’re not the only one whose parents expect things of you,” he stated calmly, his eyes daring her to argue.

But again, he was right. 

How was this the one day that Cardin Winchester, of all people, was right?

He operated under the weight of his own family’s expectations - most importantly, his mother’s.Just as Weiss had obligations, so did he.

“When we’re married, I’m taking over the company - you being spotted with this girl will make me look like a fool.It will undermine my authority.”

“You’ll have _no_ authority until my father steps down,” she shot back at him. 

She’d always hated the idea of Cardin running her family’s company.He was far too dumb to be put in such a prominent position.But, that was the way things operated.And she supposed that after serving several decades under her father’s tutelage, there was a possibility that he became somewhat competent.

“But it _will_ happen eventually,” Cardin replied.“ And if my mom caught wind of this…”

Cardin let his words trail off, allowing Weiss to complete the sentence.

The woman would tear him to shreds… _especially_ if she learned that he’d known and allowed it to continue.

How did Weiss’ choices so greatly impact the lives of those around her?Why couldn’t it just be her who felt the repercussions of her decisions?Why did everyone else have to suffer?

“Ah, right on time.”

When Cardin nodded his head behind her, Weiss turned and felt her heart stop beating when she saw the familiar figure racing towards the front door of the coffeehouse.

“Ruby?”

Weiss was on her feet before Ruby even made it through the door - reaching her arms out to the girl, watching nothing more than to run into Ruby’s comforting embrace and be taken far, far away from here. 

But Weiss dropped her arms when Cardin appeared by her side and grabbed her upper arm.

“Listen to me,” he whispered forcefully in her ear, his fingers digging into her arm when she tried to squirm away.“You’re going to tell her that you never want to see her again, and you’re going to be _convincing_ , or my next call is to your mom.And we both know she won’t be nearly as nice as I’m being.”

Ruby was inside the coffeehouse now, approaching cautiously while her silver eyes flitted back and forth from Weiss to Cardin.

“Cardin,” Weiss pleaded while Ruby walked their way.“I’ll do it - but can’t you let us be alone?”

“No,” he replied flatly, finally releasing her arm and taking a half step to the side.“I don’t trust you to do it.”

She wouldn’t trust herself to go through with it, either.

Ruby was only a few feet away now, her usually calming presence feeling more like fire burning through Weiss’ veins.

Things were moving too quickly - the situation evolving too rapidly.There was no time to process what was going on or to think things through.There wasn’t even an opportunity to think about what she wanted to say.All she knew was that Ruby...Ruby was the most important thing in her world.She couldn’t allow her decisions - her _family_ \- to destroy Ruby’s life.Not when Ruby still had so much to live for.

Plus...they’d both known that this day would come, right?

“R-Ruby, what are you doing here?”

Weiss’ voice was soft and pleading, a hopelessly optimistic part of her thinking Ruby might turn and bolt at any second, sparing her from saying anything further.

But Ruby stayed. 

Ruby always stayed for her.

“Some guy flagged me down while I was cleaning out my track locker...he said it was really important to meet you here right away...he made it sound like you were in trouble.Are you ok?”

The question was so caring...so innocent…

_Oh Ruby_...Weiss thought as her throat tightened with agony. _Why did you come here?Why did you care so much?_

_Why did you waste your love on someone like me?_

“Ruby…” she began, glancing to the side and receiving a firm nod from Cardin.“I-I asked you to come here...so that I could tell you that...I...I never want to see you again.”

If her heart hadn’t already been broken, it surely would have as those words left her mouth.Especially when they only registered as shock and confusion in Ruby’s kind silver eyes.

“What?”

“You heard her,” Cardin said gruffly.

“I’m talking to her, not you,” Ruby snapped at the boy.

“Ruby,” Weiss interrupted, not wanting the two to get into an argument.“Please...Ruby.Cardin and I will be married soon.Please just respect...my wish...and don’t try to contact me again.”

_For your own good._

“But Weiss, I…”

She knew what words flashed through Ruby’s mind, trapped inside by Cardin’s presence.The mere thought of those words threatened to unravel every bit of her that she was struggling to hold together.Trying to swallow, she found the lump forming in her throat was too big - drying out her mouth and cutting off her supply of air.

She leaned closer to whisper more privately, feeling tears threatening to flow.

“We can’t, Ruby…”

“Weiss, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Ruby pleaded with her, silver eyes begging her to change her mind.

“It...it does,” Weiss replied with a sad shake of her head - the weight of her last name hanging like an albatross from her neck, dragging her down.Drowning her.

“But you never know if you -”

“I know, Ruby,” she interrupted before Ruby could finish her hopeful views on life.Her eyes burned as tears began building in silver eyes, looking as if the cheerful metal was melting away to nothing. 

It felt like someone had just stabbed her in the chest - warmth spreading from her heart as blood spilled everywhere.It was self-inflicted...she’d done this to herself...but she’d hurt Ruby too...

“Please, Ruby...don’t make this any harder than it already is…”

“Weiss...i-is this really what you want?”

Weiss’ lip involuntarily quivered at the question.But she tried to appear poised as she said the two most difficult words in her life - as she tore her heart from her chest with another lie.

But she would take her own life...to save Ruby’s.

“It is.”

She immediately turned to the side and bit her wavering lip, bottling up a sob that threatened to slip past her lips. 

The hurt in Ruby’s eyes was unbearable. 

It was wrong - Ruby should never have had to feel this way.She was too pure for this...for this type of pain.Too trusting...too optimistic.For Weiss to break her own heart was one thing, but breaking Ruby’s...

This was the single worst thing she’d ever done in her life. 

With her eyes trained upon the ground, her vision swimming with unshed tears, Weiss felt rather than saw Ruby leave - without so much as a whimper in protest.By the time Weiss risked looking up, she only caught a glimpse of a red hoodie disappearing from view.

Someone had just stepped on the remaining pieces of her heart, crushing them to dust.

“Wow, she’s fast!” Cardin said with a laugh, his obnoxiously loud voice jarring Weiss back to acknowledge his presence.

Setting her jaw, she stared towards the door while hot tears multiplied in her eyes.

“Are we done here?” she said, refusing to look his way.

“Hey, I thought I could buy you lunch or something -”

“No, thank you.”Without another glance his way, she left the café behind. 

As soon as she stepped outside, she looked in the direction Ruby had gone.The snow was coming down furiously now - nearly whiteout conditions - the frozen substance making it difficult to see very far at all.As her eyes searched, she found nothing besides an empty sidewalk and snowflakes in Ruby’s wake.

The remaining granules of her dying heart begged her feet to chase after the girl...begged for her to shout the girl’s name or...something.Anything.But she hesitated, unsure of what to do, of where her path was leading her now.And the longer she hesitated, the further Ruby slipped away.

It wasn’t long before the realization hit her - the feeling like a thousand knives stabbing through her heartless chest - that Ruby was already gone.

Ruby was gone. 

There was no getting her back now.There would be no more good morning phone calls or funny messages.There would be no dinner tonight.

It was over.

Weiss stared through the snow, her nose growing cold, her fingers stiffening from lack of gloves.Her tears, stemming hot from her eyes, were nothing more than frozen streams on her cheeks as she stood in the cold, her chest heaving as she struggled to take in frozen gasps of air.

But she felt nothing, nothing but the pain where her heart had once lived.

“Miss.”

The word meant nothing to her. 

It wasn’t until a hand touched her shoulder that she spun in the direction of the voice, finding her driver looking at her with concern-filled eyes.

“Miss, you shouldn’t stand out here in the cold…”

Looking down to hide her tears, she nodded and slipped into the vehicle without a word.It was only inside the warm cabin that she realized just how cold she was - her ears, cheeks, nose, and hands nearly frozen through and through.But she made no effort to warm them as she was driven home, wishing that the numb feeling would extend to her mind, as well.

She just...she thought they had a little more time together...a little more time before this had to happen...

But Ruby was already gone...disappearing from Weiss’ life just as quickly as she’d entered.

And again, Weiss was all alone.


	24. Chapter 24

A minute without Ruby...an hour...a day...every second of the time passed by at a snail’s pace.Every breath was a struggle - the molecules in the air having taken on the qualities of glass, ripping through Weiss’ lungs when she dared try to breathe.Eating was impossible.Moving was tedious.There was no point in speaking.If she hadn’t had obligations, she wouldn’t have bothered to get out of bed in the morning, at all.

She shouldn’t even bother to get into bed, to begin with.Even though she was beyond exhausted, she was haunted by nightmares the second she closed her eyes - the kind of horrors that caused her to wake in a cold sweat with tears rolling down her cheeks.

The past needed no twisting or contortion to tear her to pieces.It simply replayed those few minutes from the coffee shop precisely as they’d happened - over and over and over again.

The words Weiss had said.The hurt in Ruby’s eyes.The pain...

Thankfully for her sanity, a whirlwind of last-minute wedding preparations demanded as much of her attention as she was willing to give.Final alterations were made to the gown, during which her mother had been pleased to find that Weiss met her weight target and then some - the unintended benefit of being too nauseous to eat.Prestigious guests stopped by the house at all hours of the day, expecting to be hosted for a cup of tea and conversation with the ‘lucky’ bride-to-be and her ‘ecstatic’ mother.The wedding planner visited and rushed through a rough schedule of the big day - and by ‘rough,’ Weiss meant it was organized down to the minute, not second.

She partook in the activities because she had to, and because if she didn’t - if she was allowed to stay in her room and dwell on what she’d done - she might actually die of a broken heart. 

Throughout everything, she looked at her phone at the very least every other minute, wishing it would do something - _anything_ \- but remain silent.But time moved forward...and there was nothing.No phone call, no text message, no email.

She tried to fool herself into thinking there was nothing she could’ve done differently, but she knew that wasn’t true.There were so many things she could have and _should_ have done differently.

She should have made it clear from the very beginning that nothing could ever happen between them.She shouldn’t have led Ruby on.At the very least, she should have been the one to tell Ruby, on _her_ terms, that it had to end.But she’d been so desperate to wring every possible second out of...feeling happy...that she’d waited too long.

If she was honest with herself, would she have even said anything before the wedding?How long would she have waited?Until the night before?The morning of?She was such a _coward_.She might not have said anything at all had Cardin not forced her hand. 

Slipping into the hallway - away from where her mother was entertaining some pretentious dignitary from Vacuo - Weiss pulled out her phone and looked at the blank screen.She’d spent the entire day going through this routine but never progressed any further than staring at the device for a few minutes before finally putting it away.

She knew she didn’t deserve to talk to Ruby.She knew that _she_ was the one who told Ruby never to speak to her again.But...those weren’t her words.That wasn’t her wish. 

Even though Weiss knew that she deserved the silence, her resolve was wearing thin.More than anything in the world, she needed to hear Ruby’s voice.Just for a few seconds...even if Ruby wanted to yell - Weiss would gladly take the yelling.It would be far better than this never-ending silence.

Tapping the top of her phone, she considered her options while a frown creased her brow. 

She shouldn’t reach out.No matter how much it felt like she was lost in a vast, open sea that wanted to consume her whole, she shouldn’t call Ruby for help.She shouldn’t ask Ruby to save her, because no one could save her.

Then again...she shouldn’t have done any of the things she did with Ruby.

Pressing the button to dial Ruby’s number, Weiss held the device up to her ear and paced back and forth in the hall.Her breathing slowed in anticipation - nerves multiplying in every cell of her body.Her free hand shook as emotions bubbled to the surface and threatened to spill over.

_Ringggg_.

A stab of pain swept over her when the call went directly to voicemail, and knives ran right through her when the familiar message began to play.

“Hey, you’ve reached Ruby _the Rocket_ Rose!I’m either busy or forgot to charge my phone again - whoops!Leave me a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.Bye!” 

_Beeeep._

“H-hey Ruby…” Weiss whispered, hearing the trembles in her voice as her throat constricted in pain.“Can you...can you call me when you get this?I, uh...I need to talk to you...”

She waited a few seconds longer, as if she might say something else, before ending the call without another word.

What would she even say if Ruby called her back?What _could_ she say?What could she possibly say to make this better?

It didn’t matter.Ruby must have turned her phone off - a pretty clear message that she didn’t want to talk at all.

Tears welled in Weiss’ eyes as she stared at the useless device - the phone still grasped in her hand like a lifeline.Sniffing once, she tried to force the emotions away - she tried to bottle everything up and not feel the pain.

Her efforts weren’t working.It felt like there were always tears in her eyes now - lingering just beneath the surface, looking for any excuse to come out.

Storing her phone in her pocket, she took a deep breath, wipes her eyes, and re-entered the room with her mother and the man whose name she had no interest in learning.Sitting down with a small smile, she pretended to pay attention to the conversation - making sure to prevent her eyes from glassing over as her mind drifted away from this place.

Ruby...what are you doing right now?Are you at home studying for finals?Going for a run in the snow?Maybe you’re at the park with Zwei?

Are you doing ok?

Are you thinking about me too?

Cutting off that line of thought, Weiss only managed to redirect herself towards how much she missed the girl...and how painful it was to think that they might never see or speak to each other again.The thoughts filled her with a pain greater than anything she’d ever experienced - searing across the void in her chest as memories of happier times flashed through her mind.

Rationally, it didn’t seem possible to be in this much pain over one person.But it wasn’t just ‘one person.’It was Ruby.

What was going to happen now?Would Ruby move on?Find someone new?

She’d probably start dating Penny, that orange-haired girl on the track team who was so enamored with her.She might even take Penny up to the tower - the very place where Weiss and Ruby had shared their second kiss.The two of them would stand up there and make plans for the future - a future the two of them could share. 

And then they would kiss, just as Weiss and Ruby had. 

But, even worse, the two of them would do things Weiss had never been able to do.They would sleep together...move in together...get married and live happily ever after.

The thought soured her stomach.

When her mother suddenly laughed - the noise fake and grating - Weiss forced a smile at the joke she’d missed and wished that she could go back to her room and curl into a pitiful ball on her bed, heartbreak be damned.

Weiss was destined to become nothing more than a distant memory, talked about only every once in a while when Ruby brought up the first girl to break her heart - the bullet she’d dodged.Years from now, Ruby would look back on their time together and realize what a horrible, selfish person Weiss was.Undoubtedly leading a happy life with whomever she ended up with, Ruby would be _grateful_ for how everything worked out.

And where would Weiss be?

Living in a cold, lonely mansion, having uncomfortable, silent dinners with the husband she felt nothing but loathing towards.Cardin wouldn’t go through the trouble of hiding his affairs and would probably parade the women through the house.Weiss would become the laughingstock of Vale - everyone would whisper about her, wondering why she didn’t care that her husband was seen with so many different women.

No one would ever know the truth - that she loved someone else.Why would she care what Cardin did when she was deprived of the person she loved?She’ll sit there, by herself, and wish that she was someone else.She’ll wish that she could have been the one for Ruby.

She already wished that.

But she understood how much her family had sacrificed to get where they were today.She’d heard the stories ever since she was young - how her great great grandfather had toiled eighty hours per week, how her great-grandfather had lost three fingers in a manufacturing accident, how her grandmother had surrendered her childhood home to build the newest headquarters.

Now it was Weiss’ turn to sacrifice - to forfeit her freedom of choice, to lose the love of her life - for the greater calling of the family name.Because when she woke up, she was a Schnee.And when she went to sleep, she was still a Schnee.Nothing could ever change that.

After this, no one could say she hadn’t done her part.No one could say she was selfish or greedy.No one could say that she didn’t know what it was like to make the ultimate sacrifice.If she were any of those things, she wouldn’t be sitting here right now.

When her mother stood from her seat, Weiss obediently followed suit, shaking hands with their guest one more time before he took his leave.As her mother escorted him to the front door, she made her way back to her room, wanting nothing more than to shut herself away for the afternoon.

Walking into her room, she closed the door behind her and avoided her reflection in the mirror to her left.As inviting as her bed looked, she knew that it held nothing but nightmares for her, so she made her way to the desk instead.Sitting down and tapping her fingers against the wooden top, she gazed out one of the bedroom windows and struggled with her thoughts.

The snow had stopped yesterday, leaving several inches piled upon the ground.But, unlike the first snow of the season, this snow was neither happy or cheery - as the sun was hidden behind a blanket of dark gray clouds. 

The color almost reminded her of…

Shaking the thought away, she pulled open one of the desk drawers to find a piece of paper, only to discover the photograph of Winter and the birthday unicorns once again.Removing the framed picture, she looked down at it and wished that Winter was still here.How different would their lives be?

Maybe Weiss’ parents wouldn’t care who she married since she would hold the position of second in line and thus first to be discarded.Or maybe they’d give her the option of going unwed - allowing her to pursue any relationship she’d like.

Flipping the frame over, she set it on the far corner of the desk and pulled out a single page of stationery that had been stored underneath.

Who was she kidding?It was nice to dream that Winter’s presence would solve her problems, but her parents were far too scheming to ever let her decide her own fate.They would’ve married her off to the city’s second most eligible bachelor, instead.

Clearing her mind of those thoughts, she found a pen and set the tip down on the paper, focusing on what she needed to write.

The first part was easy - ‘Dear Ruby.’After that, her mind swam with the words she longed to say - all of the things she wished they’d had an opportunity to discuss in person - the things she’d always been too afraid to say aloud.She wanted to explain how much she enjoyed the time they spent together.How she felt about Ruby - how she _honestly_ felt about Ruby.How deeply...how heart-wrenchingly...how _passionately_ Weiss loved her.

But none of those words made it onto the page as Weiss wrote only a portion of her thoughts in the best penmanship she could muster. 

Ruby had always liked her handwriting…

It wasn’t fair to write a letter that would only make things unclear and potentially more difficult for Ruby to move on, to move past the pain.And that’s what Weiss wanted - for Ruby to keep living, to keep being the bubbly, cheerful ray of sunshine that she was.If that meant Ruby met someone else and lived a long, happy life...Weiss would be happy with that. 

She would have to be.

So...instead of professing her love - which was what she _wanted_ to do, but couldn’t do - she apologized.She wrote down how sorry she was that she couldn’t be who Ruby needed.How sorry she was for the pain and hurt she’d caused by not speaking up sooner.How sorry she was that her life was not hers to live - that the future success of her family was dependent solely upon her. 

Left out were the ‘if only’s and ‘maybe’s that flashed through her mind as every passing word flowed from the pen to the page.

If only she’d been born into a different family.If only her life wasn’t dictated by rules she had no control over.

Maybe they could still keep in touch, somehow.Maybe they could find a way to be in each other’s lives, even if it was only in the most minimal way.

When she was satisfied with the level of apology she’d managed to fit onto one page, she paused when reaching the bottom.After much hesitation, she finally signed the letter ‘Love, Weiss.’ 

It might be the only time she’d get to tell Ruby that.

Meticulously folding the piece of paper and sliding it into a plain, white envelope, Weiss sealed it and wrote Ruby’s name elegantly across the front.With that finished, she made her way back downstairs with the envelope still in hand. 

There was a sense of purpose within the fragile paper that allowed her to breathe again - grasping onto a foolish thread of hope that the words could somehow make a difference, that they could correct the mistakes she’d made.

Once downstairs, she walked straight up to the first butler she could find - the man in the process of shining a piece of silver decorative plating in the living room.

“Is James here today?” she asked, startling the man out of his focus.

“Um, yes, I believe so…”

“Please get him for me, immediately.”

With a nod, he quickly left her and went in search of the man she’d requested. 

There were very few people she trusted...even fewer now...but she felt like she could trust James with this task.At this point, she had very little left to lose except Ruby’s safety.But with their relationship already in ruins, it seemed less likely anyone would try to destroy what was left.

Sitting on the edge of one of the unused living room chairs, Weiss ran one finger along the top of the envelope until James walked into the room several minutes later. 

“You were looking for me -” he began to ask, but she stood and started speaking before he could finish.

“Will you do something for me and not mention it to anyone?” she asked, watching his eyes to gauge his response.

“I...well, that depends…”

“Will you take this letter to Ruby?” she asked, holding the envelope towards him and doing her best to keep her hand steady.Trembling fingers reflected poorly upon a person...

“Oh...yes.Yes, I can do that,” he replied, accepting the letter before giving her a curious glance.“But why -”

“Apartment 517.Thank you, James,” she said quickly, not wanting to broach the topic for fear of allowing more tears to escape her eyes.

With a nod and small smile, he turned and rushed out of the room, sliding the letter carefully inside his jacket as he went.A few seconds later, Weiss heard the sound of the front door opening and closing as he left the house behind.

His exit was her signal to sit down and wait for his return. 

And how impatiently she waited…her knee bouncing up and down as she folded and unfolded her hands in her lap.

Weiss knew exactly how long it took to reach Ruby’s apartment, so she knew exactly when Ruby should have the letter in her hands.Unless, of course, Ruby wasn’t at home.Or there was heavier-than-normal traffic.Maybe an accident due to the snow...

Weiss’ knee refused to quit bouncing; her phone clutched in one hand while her eyes roamed the living room.Today, the sparkling jewels in the ceiling mocked her - their cheerful glitter not at all reflecting the dull feeling within her chest.

As the minutes passed, another emotion joined the dullness.As soon as Weiss was positive that Ruby should have received the letter, hope began to grow. 

If Ruby read the letter, maybe she would call.Maybe she would reach out in some way. 

But as silent seconds marched past, Weiss scolded herself for being so foolish.Why would a letter miraculously heal all the pain she’d inflicted?How would words scribbled upon a piece of paper correct the mess she’d made?

Her words of reason didn’t stop her pulse from soaring when her phone buzzed - the device coming to life after being dormant for far too long.

Whatever sense of excitement she felt was instantly dashed when she looked at the screen and found it was only a message from Jezebel.A reminder of the rehearsal dinner tomorrow - like Weiss needed to be reminded of such of thing…

She’d never felt so let down - her false hope crushed to oblivion.Tears rose to the surface as what little control she’d collected over her emotions weakened.

This was really it.It was really over.If they spoke again, it would be years from now - it would be years from now, and everything would have changed.

Hearing the front door open again, she bit her lip while waiting for James to return to her.He walked into the room with much less certainty than he’d displayed just a short time ago - approaching her as if hesitant to deliver the news.

“How did it go?” she asked, her voice hollow as she waited to hear how her pitiful attempt of apologizing had been received.“What did...did she say anything?”

Anything - anything at all.She would grasp onto any last syllable Ruby might have muttered - anything that might replace the last second the two of them had spent together...

“Well...I didn’t see Miss Rose…” James began, shifting between his feet before finally looking her in the eye.“But I did speak to a rather irate blonde girl...”

“Oh.”The air rushed out of Weiss’ lungs when she realized what had happened.

Yang.Of course. 

Even if Ruby hadn’t given them any of the details, Yang was perceptive enough to figure out what went wrong.All it would take was one tear, and she’d know Weiss had messed everything up.Now, she was probably livid - especially because she’d warned Weiss this would happen.She’d warned Weiss, and Weiss did nothing to make it easier.

It was surprising that Yang hadn’t shown up at the front door determined to beat the pulp out of her - something Weiss deserved and would accept without complaint.Maybe a brief hospital stay would postpone the wedding...

“She...asked...me to tell you to never come anywhere near her sister again or...bodily harm might be involved.She may have also...ripped the letter into pieces before slamming the door in my face.”

Yup...that sounded like Yang.It also explained why James looked so uncomfortable - he thought he hadn’t succeeded in doing as she asked.But he’d done more than enough.Now Weiss knew...that there would be no talking to Ruby from here on out.

“Thank you,” she replied softly, giving him a small smile to reassure him that she wasn’t angry in the slightest.

“Miss…”

Standing up and giving him a nod, Weiss walked out of the living room - unable to bear the sympathy his eyes held for her.She didn’t deserve his sympathy or anyone else’s.She’d brought this upon herself.

It wouldn’t be so bad if it were just her with the broken heart, but knowing that Ruby was also in pain tore holes right through her.

The failure of her letter released all the emotions she’d held at bay up to this point.Now with no hope of apologizing, she was truly left with nothing...nothing but the waves of pain and agony that threatened to bring her to her knees.But she was forced to continue - forced to live another day when each second was a struggle.

With those darkened thoughts clouding her mind, her feet plodded into the music room and to the seat of the piano.Sitting down, she placed her phone on the edge of the instrument, still within her vision, before lifting the cover off of the keys.The sparkling ivory extended to her left and right - a sea of black and white begging her to play. 

Setting her hands down in a starting position, she straightened her posture, found the pedals with her foot, and took a deep breath.

When she was playing a happy tune, there was no need for preparation - she merely sat down and let her fingers do the work.But preparing to play a sad song, like today...it felt like standing at the edge of a cliff, staring down towards a bottomless abyss.Once she took the plunge, there was no turning back. 

Pressing her fingers down, the first chord filled the room - only to be replaced by another, and another, as she poured her emotions through the piano.Somehow, her fingers knew where to go without her direction, weaving a sorrowful web, dancing across the firm keys as they described how she was feeling far better than mere words could.

The notes - the song - did nothing but make her feel progressively worse as her pain became audible, filling the air around her.But feeling worse made her feel almost...better.Now anyone passing by could hear her sorrow - that they might share in her anguish. 

The concept of time was lost in this place, as only the next note meant anything to her.

She didn’t know exactly when she started crying, but as the last melody faded to silence, she felt tears steadily rolling down her cheeks - her vision blurred by water.Only when the final note cut off did she remove her fingers from the keys and brush the back of one hand across her eyes, wiping away tears.

Lowering the cover with a soft thud as wood fell on top of wood, her eyes flickered over to her phone - which had stayed agonizingly silent this entire time.

In one fluid motion, she grabbed the device, pressed the speed dial for Ruby, and held it up to her ear.

“Hey, you’ve reached Ruby the Rocket Rose!I’m either busy or forgot -”

Weiss ended the call, her pulse hammering in her ears while her fingers shook uncontrollably.She couldn’t leave another message - what could she possibly say?

‘Hi Ruby, I know I’m getting married in a couple of days, but I just wanted to apologize for -’

For…

For falling in love with you.


	25. Chapter 25

The day before the wedding was filled with even more last minute preparations - the air buzzing with hectic energy as final decisions were made, and mistakes were corrected.The sheer number of details that needed to be attended to was so overwhelming that Weiss again found herself thankful that her mother had taken charge of the responsibilities.

Except for one - the cake.

They left the house early to begin their errands, driven along streets drenched in black slush as the snow was trampled beneath the tires of an endless parade of vehicles.

Their very first stop was the bakery, as Weiss’ mother wanted to see and sign off on the final product before it was transported to the reception hall for safekeeping.Of course, for Weiss, the small bakery only served as another painful memory of the time she and Ruby had shared together - trying the different flavors of cakes while Ruby came up with unconventional rating systems.

The baker had been expecting their arrival and brought out the final product the second they stepped through the door.Freshly-baked and decorated to perfection, it was...gorgeous.Absolutely gorgeous.Made in five tiers, it was draped in the most intricate silver snowflakes Weiss had ever seen, and studded with real diamonds in a classy but thankfully not outrageous manner. 

The real surprise was the spark of color provided by several blood-red rubies sprinkled throughout the layers.

If she’d still had a heart, it would’ve been torn out again when she remembered how much Ruby enjoyed this particular cake - and how she gave Weiss a wink instead of an actual rating.

Ruby would’ve loved it.To Weiss, it was just another painful memory, but she smiled and said “It looks wonderful” while her mother praised the baker for a job well done.

Once they finished at the bakery, she was dragged to the hair salon for a last minute trim and style, manicure, and pedicure.Next, they breezed through a dress rehearsal at the church - which would’ve gone even faster if Cardin’s groomsmen weren’t imbeciles - then had lunch with some important business owner from Atlas, and still made it home with plenty of time to dress for the rehearsal dinner.

The entire day, Weiss’ phone remained by her side, never out of arm’s reach.By now, its continued presence was less out of hope that Ruby would call and more out of comfort from the connection they used to share.

In a way, the device was the last thing Weiss had of Ruby - the last tiny shred of their bond that she could hold on to.Without it, she might be convinced that it never even happened - that Ruby was merely a figment of her imagination, a deeply-buried desire coming to life.A dream whose sole purpose was to be taken away from her when she’d started to believe it was reality.

But within her phone lived proof - tangible evidence of how things had been, how she and Ruby had been.

If Weiss had nothing else, she could hold onto their last text messages - like Ruby’s photo of the snow, just like the painting they’d seen at the art museum.It was a tiny thread she clung to for dear life at this moment, as she stood in the sprawling hotel ballroom where the rehearsal dinner was being held.

Her parents were here, along with Cardin, his parents, and the rest of the wedding party.As was customary the night before the wedding, they would share a meal and spend some ‘quality time’ together before the big day.It was an opportunity to relax after the demands of wedding planning had all been satisfied.

At least, that’s what Weiss’ understanding of a traditional rehearsal dinner was.But in this case, dinner was an opportunity to get in one last round of flattery before their family names were tied together for eternity.And for the rest of the wedding party - specifically, Cardin’s friends - it was an opportunity to have an exorbitantly-expensive meal and get drunk on Fredrick Schnee’s dime.

After vetoing the red dress at the last second, Weiss’ mother selected a silver ball gown for her to wear instead.Silver was even worse than red - the color torturing to her soul every time she caught a glimpse of it.With a pair of silver heels, she might look nice on the outside, but inside she felt torn open and raw.

_Just make it through tomorrow_ , she told herself, training her eyes upon the long dining table so as not to catch sight of her dress. _You just need to make it through tomorrow._

But...then what?What relief was there for her after the wedding?

She knew the answer before the question even disappeared from her mind.

There was none.This was the way it would be, from here on out.There was no light at the end of the tunnel, no sunrise after the night - her light, her sun, had been taken from her.There would be only darkness.

“Weiss.”

Her eyes snapped towards the sound of her mother’s voice, drawing her back from the edge of the void within her chest.

The woman walked over to her with purpose, trailed by another girl Weiss vaguely remembered from the wedding rehearsal that afternoon - not that she’d paid much attention to what was happening inside that church.She’d listened to the minister long enough to understand what she was expected to do, then allowed her thoughts to drift back to Ruby’s painful absence - trying to prevent herself from flinching as the man repeated the words ‘vows,’ ‘matrimony,’ and ‘kiss’ over and over again.

“Weiss, this is Cinder Fall,” her mother said as the two of them stopped in front of her.“She’ll be your maid of honor for the wedding.”

“Nice to meet you,” Weiss replied, dipping her chin a fraction of an inch in acknowledgment of the position the girl had earned. 

Because Weiss didn’t have any influential friends who could be invited to be bridesmaids, her mother had selected the most attractive and wealthiest girls amongst her age group.It was probably a coveted position for any of the more attention-seeking families.

“Likewise,” Cinder responded to the polite greeting, her lips curling into a smug smile.

Cinder could be two years older than Weiss, or ten - it was that difficult to tell.Her thick, black hair fell in perfectly-styled layers just past her shoulders, which were left bare as her flaming red dress fell off them completely.Coupled with shining amber eyes, Cinder was an attractive woman, but her demeanor was cold, calculating, and incredibly off-putting.

And no matter how attractive Cinder thought she was, she didn’t hold a candle to Ruby.

In a habit learned long ago to better preserve her sanity, Weiss immediately wrote Cinder off as someone she didn’t want to be associated with.Something about the aura she gave off...it was nothing Weiss wanted to be near for very long.

“Excuse me,” one of the waiters said, ducking his head in apology for the interruption.“Dinner is about to be served.”

Luckily, Cinder seemed to have no interest in being Weiss’ friend either.Without another word, they headed in opposite directions - Weiss walking towards the head of the table while Cinder joined the rest of the bridesmaids.

As Weiss approached the seat next to her husband-to-be, her eyes swept over a familiar boy - one she hadn’t seen in years.The smirk he wore earned her ire as she took her seat and sent him a scowl.Sky Lark...she had quite a few nasty words she’d love to say to him later.

For now, she would focus on making it through this dinner alive.And if she heard _one_ more person make a joke about how they ‘don’t usually _rehearse_ their meals before eating them,’ that likely wasn’t going to happen.An original joke would be nice to hear every once in awhile - of course, the chances of that in this stuffy crowd were slim to none.

After each seat at the long table was occupied by one of their important guests, the first course was placed neatly in front of her - the waiters timed perfectly to set everyone’s plates down at the same moment. 

Their meal began with a steaming bowl of leek soup, topped with some quickly-melting shreds of cheese and a small leaf of parsley.

Weiss managed only a few spoonfuls before the bowls were removed and replaced by the main course - a piece of lamb placed on top of a bed of potatoes and various vegetables on the side.While everyone around her continued talking and eating their meals, she spent most of her time meticulously cutting the lamb into bite-sized pieces - taking as much time as possible accomplishing the mindless task so as to avoid doing anything else.

“You should eat more, dear,” her mother’s voice instructed from across the table - the woman pausing her conversation with Mrs. Winchester for a few seconds.“You don’t need to worry about fitting into the dress any longer.”

“Yes, and you’ll need all your strength for tomorrow,” Mrs. Winchester added with a smile.

Smiling weakly in return, Weiss obligingly stuck a forkful of food in her mouth and chewed.The flavor was too harsh for her taste - and she wasn’t hungry in the slightest - but she knew she’d better force down some food to maintain the appearance that everything was fine, especially with her mother watching.

But she didn’t even like lamb...not that anyone had bothered to ask her opinion. 

Halfway through the pile of food, the plate was mercifully taken away from her - this time replaced with their dessert course.Fortunately, Weiss knew that her mother would have no qualms with her not touching this dish, so she didn’t even bother picking up her dessert fork while the rest of the guests continued eating.Her mother also pushed away the chocolate monstrosity - neither of them desiring to flood their systems with that much sugar this evening.

The soft chime of a spoon tapping against the side of a wine glass caught Weiss’ attention, as well as the rest of the table’s, and drew their eyes towards the seat at the very end.In accordance with wedding custom, Mr. Winchester stood from his chair, glass in hand as he prepared to give a toast.

“Good evening.Thank you for being here with us tonight,” the man began in a low tone, his voice warmer and far more welcoming than his piercing eyes suggested.“Tomorrow marks the beginning of an important journey for both of our families - one we’ve been waiting for for quite some time now.”

“Through these two young souls dining with us tonight,” he continued, waving his hand towards Weiss and Cardin.“We build upon legacies constructed over generations and strengthen lineages for generations to come.Though we know not what the future may hold, we do know that - from here on out - there will be no name more powerful than Winchester-Schnee.”

When Mr. Winchester raised his glass into the air, everyone followed suit with mumbled ‘here-here’s before taking a sip from their drinks.

Winchester-Schnee...how long had the man waited for the opportunity to tie his name with her own - and to list Winchester first, no less.It could be brushed off as a slip of the tongue, but Weiss knew he was too calculating and driven to make a mistake like that. 

Slipping a glance at her father out of the corner of her eye, Weiss knew that he’d made the same assumption - his jaw clenched in expertly-concealed anger.

As soon as Mr. Winchester returned to his seat, Cardin stood - the boy picking up his glass to give a toast of his own.The conversations that had started back up died off immediately as all eyes trained on Cardin in polite deference. 

“Good evening ladies - dudes,” he began, raising his glass towards his raucous group of groomsmen and missing his mother’s flinch at the word.“Like my dad said, Weiss and I have been waiting for this day for a long time now.We’re both excited for what comes next, and we’re excited for this next chapter in our lives.We’re eternally grateful to our parents, for all the guidance they’ve provided us so far in life.We hope to make all of you proud.Cheers.”

With a murmur of cheers in return, everyone drank to the toasts before turning back to their own conversations.

“Well said,” Weiss whispered towards Cardin as he returned to his seat.“Maybe you have a career in public speaking, after all.”

He chuckled at her comment, most likely believing it was sarcastic.Surprisingly, she wasn’t being sarcastic.It hadn’t been that bad of a toast, minus the horribly unprofessional beginning.

With the main portion of the meal officially over, people began to stand from the table - either to make their exits for the evening or to head to the restrooms.Unfortunately, Weiss wouldn’t be able to leave yet, not when her parents would have to speak to every person on the way out.

“Dude,” Cardin said in a loud whisper, leaning towards one of the groomsmen - whose name Weiss could never remember.“Which one is hottest?”

Weiss immediately sighed at the question, while both boys turned towards the group of bridesmaids walking away from the table.

“The redhead,” Cardin’s friend replied, his eyes glued to the girl as she walked away.“Definitely the redhead.Right?”

“I dunno…”

Weiss shook her head and clenched her jaw at Cardin’s response, which was more contemplative than any other comments he’d made that evening.Apparently, this was what all his brain cells were used for.

“I mean, don’t get me wrong - she’s hot,” he elaborated, much to Weiss’ chagrin.“But the blonde has a rack on her - oh!That reminds me of this blonde we saw out at lunch.”Turning towards her, Cardin lightly tapped her arm - as if they were best buds.“You were there - remember that girl?Now _she_ had a nice -”

Deciding she’d rather be anywhere else at the moment, Weiss abruptly stood and walked away without a word.Freed from the conversation, she made her way to the restroom.She didn’t need to use the bathroom, but it was her only legitimate excuse for leaving the table.

Unfortunately for her, the aforementioned bridesmaids were congregated outside the ladies’ room door - forcing her to walk by them.Determined not to let their presence sway her from her original plan, she continued walking towards them, and quickly realized they hadn’t noticed her approach.

“She can suck any ounce of fun out of a room, can’t she?” one of the girls said.

“Yeah, she just sits there like she’s made of stone or something.”

“She’s a cold-hearted bitch.”

The last comment was immediately recognizable as Cinder’s voice - the smooth tone earning a laugh from the two cronies. 

It certainly wasn’t the first time Weiss had been spoken about in such a way, but she wasn’t in the mood for it today.

“Excuse me,” she said when she reached them, opting to brush through the center of their group instead of stepping around.

They took a step back as she passed, with varying degrees of shock or horror written on their faces at what she’d just overheard.But she bit her tongue as she moved through them, knowing there was no point in retaliation.She knew how to put someone in their place if she needed to, but it just felt so...

“Hey, is it true you’ve never been kissed?”

The velvety question drew a chorus of stifled giggles as Weiss’ feet froze in place, her pulse beginning to race with rapidly-building animosity.

There were so many things Cinder could’ve said...so many insults that could’ve been hurled Weiss’ way…but she managed to touch upon the _one_ subject that brought back searing memories of the girl Weiss hadn’t spoken to in several days.

Memories of the girl she so badly wanted to see - to be with - to hear.

To kiss.

“Cinder...Fall, was it?” Weiss replied, feeling ice in her veins as she spun back to the three girls.“You know, I _thought_ the name sounded familiar.Your father was arrested for...soliciting a male prostitute, wasn’t it?”

Cinder’s eyes widened at the statement, while the other bridesmaids’ jaws dropped in disbelief at the gossip they’d just learned.Cinder quickly regained some of her swagger, but her eyes flashed uncertainly towards the two girls standing beside her.

“Those charges were dropped.”

“They were dropped because my family said they should be,” Weiss hissed in reply, taking a step closer - not caring that she had to look up to meet Cinder’s eyes.“And we _only_ did that because we knew he’d have far greater use to us here than _rotting_ in prison.”

Stepping away, she could feel the sneer on her lips while Cinder stared in a mixture of astonishment and worry.

“Don’t forget who allowed you to continue this _pathetic_ life of yours,” Weiss spit out before shoving her way past the girls and stalking back to the dining table while seething in anger.

Anger and...disappointment.She was disappointed in herself - for the words she’d said, and for how she’d reacted to that situation.Cinder had asked for it by intentionally antagonizing her.If Weiss hadn’t responded, Cinder would continue to believe that comments like that could be made without repercussions.

But, no matter how justified her reaction was in this social setting, Weiss couldn’t shake an overwhelming feeling of...shame.What would Ruby think, if she’d seen what Weiss just did?

Ruby was kind to everyone, even those who sought to hurt her.If Cinder had said the same thing to Ruby, Ruby would’ve just laughed and walked away.She would never reveal a stranger’s deeply-kept secret as a means of humiliation. 

What would Ruby think, if she saw the type of person Weiss was capable of being? 

What would Ruby think if she saw the malice brewing in Weiss’ blood?The darkness lingering at the edge of her mind, threatening to overthrow the sense of self she’d so desperately clung to?

Not that it mattered...she’d never see Ruby again.Their time together would become nothing more than fond memories - every conversation, every laugh, every smile, every hug, every kiss…she would treasure every second they’d spent together for the rest of her life.But that was all she would have...she would only see Ruby in her memories.So what did it matter?What did it matter the type of person she became now?

Sinking back into her seat at the table, she raised one hand to her temple, feeling a headache growing behind her eyes. 

She didn’t want to be here anymore. 

“Mother,” she directed towards the woman after waiting for the perfect moment to cut into the conversation.“May I head home now?I’m beginning to get a headache.”

When her mother frowned, she knew that a ‘no’ was on the tip of the woman’s tongue - until Cardin stood from the table.

“I can take her home, Mrs. Schnee.Don’t want a headache to carry over into tomorrow, after all.”

And, just like that, the ‘no’ became a nod of approval as the rest of the women at the table ‘aww’d at Cardin’s words - like he was some gallant knight coming to Weiss’ rescue.Nevermind that Weiss was perfectly capable of getting herself home without an escort.

Well, as long as she got to leave this place, she didn’t care if she had to spend a few minutes stuck in a car with him.

“Thank you, Cardin,” she replied as she stood from the table as well, both of them bidding polite farewells to the remaining guests before heading towards the exit.

She let him lead the way out of the hotel where the dinner had been hosted - the most expensive hotel in Vale - before stopping at the valet just inside the front entrance.

“Hey man,” Cardin said, handing a ticket over to the young boy tending the valet.“Put a rush on it.”

With a nod, the boy grabbed a set of keys and set off through the front doors at a fast jog.The moment the automatic doors slid open, a gust of cold wind swept into the lobby, raising goosebumps along Weiss’ arms as she crossed them to keep warm.

“You cold?”

Her instinct was to be biting and sarcastic, but she halted the response and gave a small nod instead.He hadn’t done anything to earn her annoyance tonight - outside of the usual behavior.

“A bit,” she answered quietly, turning to the side when she saw him shrug out of his jacket.

“Here.” 

When she stared at him in surprise, he gestured with the jacket again - silently urging her to take it.A part of her didn’t want to accept the offer, knowing it was an act of ingrained politeness rather than kindness.But where would she be if she continually turned down his attempts at decency?

“Thank you,” she murmured, taking the jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders.

It was warm and smelled like him.Not that he smelled overtly bad, but...he smelled like a bit too much cologne while she was used to smelling roses.

The sound of an obnoxiously-loud engine drew her gaze out the lobby doors, where a lime green sports car parked seconds later.Knowing that was her ride home, she walked outside and waited for Cardin to open the door for her before slipping into the passenger seat, making sure to pull the bottom of her dress inside before he closed the door.

Unlike her, Cardin was allowed to drive himself around - which he did in the most ridiculously-overpriced vehicles imaginable.Every time she saw him, he drove something new - each car painted in some neon color designed to draw attention, both good and bad.

After he hopped into the driver’s seat, they pulled out of the hotel’s drive and were on their way.Now, Weiss knew for a fact that Cardin drove like a reckless idiot when on his own or with friends, but, thankfully, he was polite enough to drive like a normal human being with her in the vehicle.Well, _almost_ like a normal human being.He did tend to air on the ‘excessively fast’ side when there were few other vehicles around. 

Thankfully, the ride passed in a comfortable silence, and her headache disappeared the further they became from that stuffy room filled with insufferable people.Before she knew it, they were driving past the front gate of her home and pulling up the circular drive to the front door.

After Cardin put the vehicle in park, she patiently waited for him to jog around the car and open the door for her - this car having those doors that opened upwards instead of out.Extending a hand towards her, she graciously took it while stepping from the vehicle onto the pavement below.

Whoever designed this vehicle had certainly not done so with a woman in a dress and high heels in mind...

Removing his jacket from around her shoulders, she handed it back to him and expected him to drive off to whatever plans he had for the evening - over dinner, she’d heard mention of some ‘killer’ bachelor party his buddies had planned.Instead, he walked with her to the front door - the gesture unusual and raising alarm as potential trouble. 

“So, you miss your girlfriend?” 

The word, the question, the tone it was spoken in...everything about it set her skin on fire, drawing forward emotions she’d thought she’d locked away.It wiped away every polite gesture he’d made tonight, making it abundantly clear that those were only used to get him to this moment.

But she refused to play his game and ignored the question entirely as she walked up the steps - nearly to the front door now.Just a few more steps and she could leave him behind -

“You know, I expected her to put up more fight than this.”

The comment felt like a knife through her chest - threatening to reopen all of her wounds.She didn’t know why he was suddenly pressing the topic so much, but she needed to escape from this conversation as fast as possible.

Reaching for the door handle, she was instead forcefully turned around and pushed back against it - the unforgiving metal digging into her lower back while Cardin placed both hands on either side of her head, effectively pinning her in place.Alarm bells were now ringing loudly as he moved closer to her - close enough that she got a good whiff of the cologne he’d put on before dinner.

“It’s not fair - you let her kiss you while I still get the cold shoulder?”

Weiss tried to squirm away, but he refused to move his hands, making it impossible for her to do much more than return his gaze with an icy one of her own.

“Life’s not fair, Cardin,” she snapped.“Go sleep with one of the bridesmaids.That should make you feel better.”

“I don’t _want_ to sleep with the bridesmaids,” he growled before leaning forward and kissing her roughly, trying to force his tongue into her mouth.

Even though she was caught off guard, she still managed to lock her jaw shut.Turning her head to the side to separate their lips, she planted both hands on his shoulders and shoved him away as hard as she could - sending him back a step only for him to immediately come back, this time slamming both hands against the door with a loud bang.

“What else did you let her do to you, huh?” he asked - the look of greed and anger in his eyes finally releasing fear into her veins.Again, she tried to move away, but he blocked any means of escape.

“Did you let her do this?” he breathed as he leaned in and kissed her neck, locking his hands around her wrists while she struggled to push him away - biting her lip to keep from screaming.

“Or did you let her do this…” he asked again, placing both of her wrists within one of his giant hands while he traced his other hand down her neck to cup her breast over her dress.

“Or maybe…”

As his hand moved lower, she brought her knee up as hard as she could, forcefully connecting with his crotch.Letting out a loud yelp of pain, he instantly released her hands as he dropped to his knees, clutching his hopefully-broken manhood.She stared at him for a second - surprised at what she’d just done - but that shock quickly disappeared, making way for rage.

“Fucking... _bitch_ …” he spit out, pounding one hand on the ground as he hunched over, unable to retake his feet.

“Don’t you _ever_ touch me like that again!” she screamed at him while he clenched and unclenched his fists in anger and agony.“You can have all the sluts and whores you want, but _never_ think about touching me again.Ever!”

She shook as anger coursed through her body, every bit of her wanting to kick him again while he was still down - to drive home her point in the form of infertility.

With a loud groan, Cardin finally dragged himself back to his feet, although now standing slightly hunched over.

“What do you think is going to happen, Weiss?” he snapped before turning away from her, looking almost emotionally hurt by what she’d just done.“People will expect to see a little Schnee running around eventually.”

He’d only taken several hobbling steps towards his car before she turned around, ripped the front door open, and ran side - making sure to lock the deadbolt behind her before racing towards her room.Technically, she wasn’t allowed to run in the house, but with her mother still knocking back drinks at the hotel, she ran as fast as her high heels allowed.

Up the stairs, down the hall, through the doorway, slamming the door behind her.It was only then - safely in her room - that she felt the aftereffects of what had just happened.The first being nausea...pure nausea.

Hurrying into the restroom, she immediately emptied her stomach of whatever food she’d forced down over dinner.And even when there was no more to come out, her stomach continued retching up nothing at all - and didn’t stop until the muscles in her abdomen were sore from use. 

When the episode had finally passed, she collapsed onto the cold, marble floor, and scooted backward until her back was pressed against the wall.Her hands shook uncontrollably - the rest of her body shivering even though she felt herself begin to sweat profusely.

Looking down at her right hand, she found that at some point over the past few seconds she’d pulled out her phone - the device now clutched tightly in one sweaty palm as if she was going to call someone.

As if she had anyone to call.

As anguish overcame her, she threw the phone across the small room and heard it crack when it hit the wall before falling to the floor with a crash.

Hopefully it was broken.It was useless to her anyway.

Sinking her head into her trembling hands, the first sob slipped out - painfully loud in the small room as it ripped from her throat.She had no more energy to fight - no more desire to be strong.So she allowed the heart-wrenching tears to flow freely while she struggled to collect air into her corrupted lungs.

Was this who she was destined to be?Someone cruel and vindictive, with a heart made of ice?Someone who lashed out and humiliated strangers - who sought to destroy anyone who spoke ill of her?Someone whose only understanding of love was that which was forced upon her by her husband?

This wasn’t what she wanted.This wasn’t what she hoped and dreamed for.

Ruby…

Why wasn’t Ruby trying to contact her?Why hadn’t Ruby called or emailed or...anything? 

Was it really so easy to ignore Weiss after all this time?Was it really so easy to forget her and move on?

Because it wasn’t easy - not for her.Every second she spent in agony over what had happened.Everywhere she went, something reminded her of their time together - serving only to remind her of what she no longer had in her life...what she’d never had a chance of holding onto.She couldn’t forget and move on.She would never move on.She would always wonder - she would always wish that her life was different. 

But her time had run out, and now this foolish life of hers was ending.Tomorrow, she would be married, and her new life would begin.There was nothing to look forward to except new trials and tribulations as happiness slipped further and further away.

How long she sat on the bathroom floor, she didn’t know.It was until her tears finally stopped falling, and her sobs finally quieted to soft whimpers of pain.She felt raw...as if the thick skin she’d spent years building had suddenly been ripped away - her exposed flesh feeling every molecule of air brush against her like a blade being drawn across her.

Taking several long, deep breaths, she finally pressed her hands to the cold ground and pushed herself to her feet – leaning against the wall to steady herself.Moving carefully over to the sink, she rinsed the taste of bile from her mouth before splashing cold water on her face.

When she risked a glance into the mirror, she sighed at the person gazing back at her.Red, swollen eyes...tear-stained cheeks...hair a ruffled mess - she was a miserable sight.

Turning away, she walked slowly into her bedroom and mechanically changed into a pair of pajamas before turning out the lights and crawling beneath the covers.

Curling into a ball in the blackness provided by the blankets over her head, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the images swarming to the surface of her mind.It would be another night with little to no sleep for her - forced to watch Ruby’s heart break over, and over, and over again.Forced to watch silver eyes swimming with unshed tears - tears of immeasurable pain.

This was all her fault.

Ruby had trusted her...trusted that she would do something to prevent this from happening.She was the only one who could have kept them together, yet she’d done nothing.Instead, she’d run from the responsibility, happy to live in their blissfully-ignorant existence while it lasted.

But she wasn’t like Yang or Blake or Ruby.Her life had been set at birth - all by the last name attached to her.Being a Schnee meant that she didn’t get to make her own choices or follow her own heart. 

And now - with no heart left to spare - the tears started flowing again, and the sobs of pain wracked through her as agony chipped away at her soul.

There were fates worse than death...and this was certainly one of them.


	26. Chapter 26

The morning of the wedding was cloudy, much to her mother’s chagrin.Grey skies threatened to send more snow their way and allowed the darkness of night to linger even as early morning fell away.Poor weather would do nothing to prevent the ceremony from progressing as planned, however. 

With hardly an hour of sleep to her name, Weiss went through her morning routine with the automation of a robot - doing her best to focus on the tasks at hand rather than what she was preparing herself for. 

As soon as she was ready, she was whisked to the church hours before the ceremony would begin, as most of the last minute preparations would take place on site.Walking into the towering building and glimpsing the main chapel through wide-open doors, she realized just how stubbornly life had continued to move forward while she’d been content to lose herself in Ruby. 

All of the little questions Weiss had answered, all of the small errands she’d run - they’d seemed like nothing more than minor nuisances at the time, minor delays from spending more time with Ruby.But those decisions had culminated in today.They’d shaped every detail around her - from the flowers, to the bridesmaids’ dresses, to the ribbons and garlands - she’d had a hand in all these things, even if it had only been as simple as confirming her mother’s decision.

As dozens of attendants rushed to and fro - making sure every tiny detail was taken care of - she understood that this was very real.This wasn’t a dream she would wake from.The wedding was happening, and it was happening in just a few hours.

If she’d eaten anything for breakfast, she would have lost it right then and there on the highly-polished wooden floor.

Receiving only a minute to view the inside of the chapel - where the ceremony would take place - she was then whisked into a comfortably-sized room near the front entrance of the building.Her wedding dress hung in one corner, still safely wrapped in its plastic bag.The other side of the room was composed of a large mirror with a table sitting underneath, cluttered with all kinds of hair brushes and makeup accessories.There were a couple of chairs placed in front of the mirror, as well as more comfortable recliners set around the rest of the room.

Two women were already waiting for Weiss, and immediately sat her down in one of the chairs facing the mirror before beginning their work on her hair and makeup. 

“Sit still,” one of them instructed while they buzzed around her - applying foundation, concealing the dark circles under her eyes, running a comb through her hair, and spritzing hairspray every so often.

By this point, she’d lost the will to care or fight.As far as anyone was concerned, she was nothing more than a very realistic Barbie doll - being dressed up and paraded around like the trophy she was.

One of the doors opened and closed as her mother walked in and out several times - the woman twittering in a frenzy this morning. 

“The guests are arriving!” the woman announced when Weiss’ hair and makeup were finished. 

Saying nothing in response, Weiss looked at her reflection and fought against the stinging in her eyes.Thankfully, she looked much like normal - but a tad fancier than usual.Her hair, in particular, had been given more character in the form of a gentle curl that she actually liked.

“What do you think?” one of the women asked, standing by Weiss’ side and nearly holding her breath in anticipation.

“Lovely,” Weiss answered, forcing a smile in appreciation of their work.“Thank you very much.”

The woman breathed a sigh of relief that was shared with her co-worker.“Now we can get you dressed!” she said before rushing over to the dress and working to remove the plastic.

“Weiss, come here.”

Standing from the chair, Weiss did as instructed and walked to the door they’d entered through - peeking through the crack as her mother held it open for her to look.

The guests were arriving, milling about and talking to each other in the front entryway of the church before making their way inside the open chapel doors to their seats. 

There were a lot of people.A surprising amount.Weiss had been told the final attendance many times, but seeing the guests here, in the flesh, was a different experience entirely.Everyone looked in good spirits, but why wouldn’t they be?They thought they were about to witness one of the happiest moments of her life.What they didn’t realize was that they were actually witnessing her funeral - the death of the person she’d hoped to be.

As she was about to turn away, a flash of grey and green caught her eye and brought her attention towards a familiar face within the crowd. 

Mayor Ozpin had arrived, accompanied by a stern-looking blonde woman who could only be Glynda.And Glynda was just as he’d described her.The woman appeared to be quite fond of him from her stance, but also maintained a set distance under public gaze.Her sharp eyes scanned the crowd continuously, as if searching for a threat lurking just outside her field of vision.

As for the mayor, he walked with the aid of a cane today - although Weiss wasn’t sure if it was for show or out of necessity.Even with the cane, he maintained a youth-like energy that suggested he was in better shape than the rest of them.

While she stared, the man’s eyes caught hers through the narrow opening of the door.Noticing her gaze, he gave her a small smile and nod - which she returned with the best smile she could muster under the circumstances before turning away.

At least there would be one friendly face in the chapel today…

“I’m going to check on the bridesmaids and groomsmen while you change into your dress.”

Closing the door, Weiss turned back to her mother as the woman prepared to exit through the only other door in the room - that door leading to another preparation area where the rest of the wedding party waited.

“I’ll make sure everything is in order, then I’ll be back to get you when the ceremony begins,” the woman continued.“Use this time to collect yourself - you’ll be a married young woman soon!” 

With a flash of a smile, the woman disappeared into the other room - leaving Weiss with the two attendants to help her into her wedding dress. 

“Ok sweetie,” one of the attendants said, gesturing towards Weiss while holding the dress up in her other hand. 

Understanding the unspoken instruction, Weiss undressed and stepped into the dress as they held it for her.Standing still, she waited while one of them zipped up the back of the gown while the other situated a diamond tiara in her hair.When that was finished, they helped her into a pair of silver heels that disappeared underneath the train of the gown.

“You look _beautiful_ ,” one of them said, as both women stood back to fawn over their latest ‘creation.’

“Thank you,” Weiss murmured in return.

Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at her reflection and supposed that she did look pretty.The dress was gorgeous, with the scalloped neckline and snug bodice fitting like a glove - the alterations done just a few days ago ensured as much.Every strand of hair was in its place.Makeup hid any hint of imperfection.The shoes added a subtle sparkle whenever the dress moved enough to show them.

Yes, she looked beautiful, but it was superficial.

The dress was heavy and uncomfortable, _looking_ expensive while feeling rough against her skin.Her hair was unnaturally stiff - its movement cumbersome and unnatural whenever she moved her head.And the shoes were incredibly uncomfortable - when standing or when sitting.

Such was the cost of beauty…

“Do you need anything else?Any changes?”

Taking another look at herself, Weiss shook her head.The changes she wished to make were a little more difficult than changing her makeup or her hair.

Satisfied that their work was done, the women packed up their items to leave her with her thoughts.While they did that, she picked a more comfortable chair in the room and sat down, making sure to smooth out the back of her dress beforehand to avoid any wrinkles.

She didn’t know what time it was, but she knew there wasn’t much time left.Her mother would come to get her at any moment.They’d meet up with the rest of the wedding party and proceed into the chapel as they’d practiced yesterday.

Weiss stared at the door leading towards her fate for what felt like a long time before her eyes drifted down to her hands, which were clasped in her lap on top of her white dress.They hadn’t stopped shaking since last night, but hopefully they would stop shaking soon.Hopefully, this would all be over soon.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and tried to ‘collect herself’ as her mother had so aptly suggested. 

This was it.This was the end.

She’d never thought this day would be so difficult.Sure, she never imagined it would be particularly enjoyable, but she never expected to feel so much regret.So many missed opportunities, so many missed moments.So many things she never had a chance to do - so many things she never had a chance to say...

The door opened and closed behind her, but she didn’t turn towards the noise to see the two women out.It seemed like such a big difficulty to move even a fraction of an inch.She just wanted to sit here like this, with her eyes closed, trapped in this moment before everything changed for the worse. 

As usual, Ruby popped into her thoughts - the bubbly girl who’d shown Weiss what it was like to be happy, to be loved...and to love in return.How incredibly lucky was she to have met such a beautiful person? 

And how incredibly unfortunate.If she’d never met Ruby, she wouldn’t know what she was going to be spending a lifetime without. 

But she wouldn’t trade their time together for anything in the world.And if she could have just one wish today, on her wedding day, it would be to see Ruby one more time.To share a laugh together.To hear the girl say her name.

‘Weiss.’

She could practically hear Ruby’s voice now - so filled with love and adoration.When Ruby spoke to her, it was like she was the most important person in the world, like she was the _only_ person in the world.What she wouldn’t give to hear it one more time…

“Weiss.”

The second whisper might as well have been a shout - the noise deafening in the quiet room.Her eyes snapped open, and she spun completely around in the chair while searching for what couldn’t possibly be there. 

But standing there, right inside the door behind her, was a sight she never thought she’d see again.

Ruby.

Weiss didn’t move - she _couldn’t_ move - for fear that this was just a dream, that Ruby would disappear the moment she moved a muscle.Frozen to her seat, Weiss watched as Ruby crept towards her - the girl also moving hesitantly, as if she might scare Weiss away by walking too quickly.

While Ruby circled around and stood in front of the chair, Weiss turned to follow - her eyes never leaving Ruby’s face.Ruby then knelt down in front of her, looking up at Weiss with shining silver eyes.

For several seconds, they stared at each other in silence.Weiss wasn’t sure what to say, what to do.There was an excellent likelihood that her mind was playing cruel tricks on her at the eleventh hour - dangling the Ruby in front of her just to be ripped away again.

Then, Ruby reached out and hesitantly took ahold of Weiss’ hands.

Suddenly, the moment became very real.

Jolts of electricity ran through the palms of her hands, reviving her long dormant heart - the organ suddenly pounding wildly in her chest.And panic set in.

Ruby couldn’t be here - her mother was going to get her at any moment.Ruby couldn’t be found here - it would make pointless all of the agony Weiss had endured the last several days.It would nullify her one and only chance to protect Ruby from harm.

“Weiss…”

It was a simple whisper, but uttered so longingly that it tugged fiercely upon her heartstrings.It threatened to undo everything...

“Weiss, I know a lot of this is my fault…”

Her mind finally awakened, her eyes blinking in confusion when Ruby turned away in pain - temporarily releasing her from her silver-tinged spell.

How was _any_ of this Ruby’s fault?

“I should’ve told you...ugh...I should’ve _said_ something…”

Ruby retracted one hand to run through her short hair in frustration - the temporary loss of contact torturous until she grasped Weiss’ hand once more.Then Ruby stared up at her - eyes clear, true, and more determined than she’d ever seen them before.

“I never told you what I wanted.For some reason, I just figured you’d know,” Ruby continued, her voice steady as the words tumbled out.“But I want...I want _you_ , Weiss.I want to be with you - i-in a romantic sorta way.I want to spend every second of every day with you.I want to be the last person you kiss goodnight, and the first person you kiss good morning.I want to do cheesy things like watch sunsets together from the clocktower and cuddle while watching scary movies.I want -”

“R-Ruby,” Weiss interrupted, even though she wanted the girl to talk forever - the sound so soothing it could lull her to sleep in a heartbeat. 

But there was much, much more at stake here.

“You can’t...Ruby, you can’t be here - my parents...they’ll -”

“Don’t worry about me, Weiss!I don’t care what they try to do to me - I’m fast, remember?They’ll never catch me.”

Weiss could hardly breathe - her mouth hanging open in shock, her heart pounding in fear.If only that were true.If only her parents’ power was something that could be outrun - something that could be hidden from.But that wasn’t true.That just wasn’t true.

“I know I’m asking you to give up a lot,” Ruby continued.“Obviously I’ll never be able to afford limousines or diamonds or -”

“No!Ruby - I don’t care about any of that.I care about ruining your life.”

Weiss’ words only succeeded in making Ruby clutch her hands tightly, gazing up at her with pleading silver eyes - silver eyes that now swam with unshed tears.

“Please...Weiss, you can’t marry him.I know you don’t love him...I know you love me!”

She did.God, how she loved this girl kneeling in front of her - more than anything else in the entire world.But...

“Ruby, I -”

Her words cut off when the door behind Ruby opened, and her mother strode back into the room - ice blue eyes instantly locking onto the situation playing out in front of her.

“What are you doing here?” the woman snapped.“You need to leave.”

Ruby didn’t even turn around at the words - instead, she stood up and leaned forward.Before Weiss understood what was happening, Ruby was kissing her, soft hands brushing the hair back from her cheeks while the sensation of their lips pressed together melted her heart into a puddle of water.

“You can do this, Weiss.I know you can,” Ruby whispered in her ear before being pulled away by one arm.

“Get out _now_ ,” Weiss’ mother sneered, one hand squeezing Ruby’s upper arm far too tightly as she dragged Ruby towards the opposite door.Throwing it open, the woman looked left and right before spotting the person she was looking for.

“James, make sure this _girl_ doesn’t set foot inside the church again.”

The man walked into the room and cast a quick apologetic glance Weiss’ way before taking Ruby much more gently by the arm and turning to escort her outside.

“Wait!Ruby -” Weiss called out, getting to her feet as Ruby turning to look at her while being led away.

“Weiss -”

The door slammed closed, blocking Ruby from view.The only thing Weiss saw now were her mother’s livid eyes boring straight through her.

“We’ll discuss _that_ later,” the woman hissed, taking her roughly by the arm and pulling her forward.She stumbled in her heels, unprepared to begin moving so quickly.Nearly falling to the floor, she managed to catch her balance at the last moment as she was dragged through a doorway and into the next room.

Ruby - 

The rest of the wedding party was already waiting for her - the bridesmaids and groomsmen standing in pairs in front of the doorway that led the way towards the aisle.A well-dressed man standing at the door with a headset in his ear was counting down before instructing one of the groomsmen forward - the young man extending his arm towards Weiss’ mother before the two of them took their leave.

But not before the woman sent one last glare Weiss’ way on the way through the door.

Several seconds later, the ring bearer - a tiny boy who was likely the prodigal son of some influential family - was sent on his way.Trailing him was an adorably-dressed little girl carrying a bouquet of flowers studded with real diamonds.Cinder was next - the girl sneering at Weiss before exiting with Sky - the maid of honor and best man sent on their way.

Two pairs later, and the wedding march began to play.

Ruby was here -

Her father took Weiss by the arm as they stood in front of the door, waiting for the expeditor to give the signal that it was their turn to enter the chapel.But her mind was elsewhere - through the doorway behind her where Ruby had been taken just minutes ago.

With a small nod, they were on their way, with a bouquet of flowers pressed into her hands on the way out.Fortunately, her father took the lead directing her out the door and through the entrance to the magnificent chapel.They stepped through the large open doors and under the towering ceiling of ornately carved wood.Beneath their feet lay a decadent, silver silk aisle leading all the way to the altar.

Ruby had come for her -

Everyone’s eyes were upon her now - the pews filled with strangers and vaguely-familiar faces alike.There were so many people here - the entire room packed to maximum capacity.

Her throat constricted with emotion, and her eyes burned with tears while she fought to maintain her composure.Struggling to take even breaths, she could feel herself on the verge of hyperventilating as the altar grew nearer and nearer - Cardin, the minister, the bridesmaids and groomsmen...all patiently waiting for her.

The roses dotting the end of every pew - red as the sun before it sets on the horizon - were as beautiful as the day she’d gone to see them with Ruby.The first day they’d spent time together... 

Everywhere Weiss looked, she found reminders of Ruby’s eyes - in the silver accents in every corner of the church, in the threading in the path beneath her feet, in the ribbon woven through the bouquet in her hands, in the ties the groomsmen were wearing...

“Nervous?” her father asked, whispering out of the side of his mouth while maintaining a smile.

Weiss couldn’t answer, her fake smile wavering as she fought back tears.

“I know you’ll keep him in line,” he continued without a response.“This is a great day for our family.”

This was exactly that - a great day for the Schnees, a great day for their business - for their wealth and power.But it wasn’t a great day for _her_.

Reaching the altar, her father released her arm and gave Cardin a small bow of respect before retreating to his seat in the front row beside her mother.Cardin took Weiss’ hands as she stepped in front of him, facing him and only him. 

His hands were rough...calloused.They were hands that could hurt and cause pain, as he’d so aptly proven to her last night.

But Ruby’s hands...Weiss could still feel their touch lingering upon her cheeks.They were soft...gentle...soothing and healing.Those hands could never hurt her...

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today -”

The church was dead quiet outside of the minister’s voice, but Weiss' heart beat so loudly in her ears she was surprised no one else heard it.The man’s words were nearly drowned out by the rapid thumping while she tried to breathe - slow, deep breaths.

_Focus...focus, Weiss.Focus on the words the minister is saying._

“ - marriage is not meant to be entered into lightly, but reverently, devotedly -”

She hadn’t had the chance to tell Ruby that she loved her too...

“If any of you in attendance can show just cause why these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace.”

Weiss didn’t dare look towards the crowd as the minister paused his words - the man patiently waiting for the objection that would never come.

One second of silence…

Two…

Three…

Four…

“With no one in disagreement, we shall proceed to the vows.”

The man nodded towards Cardin, who released Weiss’ hands to take the slip of paper passed to him by his best man.Unfolding the page, Cardin looked at her with a grin before he began speaking, his voice loud and self-assured.

“Weiss,  I love you, not only for what you are, but for who I am when I’m with you.I love you, not only for what you’ve made of yourself, but for what you’re making of me. I love you, for the part of me that you bring out.I love you, for putting your hand upon my heart, and passing over all the foolish, weak things that you can’t help but see there, and for drawing out all the beautiful belongings that no one else had looked far enough to find.”

With his words finished, Cardin folded the paper and handed it over his shoulder to Sky.A smug grin crept onto his face while the women in the crowd let out soft ‘aww’s at his words, but Weiss resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his mildly-insulting vows.

They’d taken the same literature course in college - she remembered just as well as he did having to dissect that very same passage time and time again.

But there was little time to feel disappointed by Cardin’s lack of effort, because the minister was turning towards her now, motioning one hand as a signal that it was her turn to speak.

Turning around, she accepted the small, folded piece of paper from Cinder’s hands.She’d relinquished the item this morning to her mother, but only after sealing it with her family’s crest - not wanting to risk her ‘maid of honor’ reading them or swapping them out without her immediate notice.

“C-Cardin…” Weiss began after unfolding the paper, watching it shake like a leaf within her trembling fingers.The minister moved his hand slightly, silently telling her that she needed to speak louder.Clearing her throat, she prepared to read aloud. 

She’d written the vows down so she wouldn’t have to think about them - so she could just read the words off the page without thought or emotion.But that was before Ruby found her…

“Cardin,” Weiss began again, much louder this time as she focused on a spot on the wall beyond Cardin’s shoulder.“Before I met you, I had no idea what love was.I thought it was just a silly emotion - something to be dreamt about but never found.But then...I found you, and everything changed.”

“There was something so perfect about the two of us together - in the same way bees and roses coexist, you and I formed a perfect pair.Even so, I tried to run from those feelings - I tried to push them away, but they were inescapable...they caught me. _You_ caught me, without any effort, solely by being yourself.” 

Pausing, she took another deep breath before continuing, feeling her resolve shake with every syllable that left her lips.

“And now...w-whenever I’m with you...the days of winter become endless days of summer.Cloudy skies become clear.Rainy days become rainbows.Every second of every day is a new rush, a new experience that I never grow tired of...because we have the type of red carpet romance the stars can only dream about.The sun looks down upon us and envies how brightly we shine.The moon grows jealous of the way we embrace the night.”

“B-but...we pay no mind to those who envy us, those who seek to bring us down - for we have the one thing everyone struggles to find.We have love.And my love for you burns like a flame - a flame so powerful, no adversity on earth dares try to extinguish it.Be it natural disasters, powerful enemies, or the sands of time, nothing will ever touch the fire within my heart...the fire that burns only for you.”

“I may not be able to make you many promises, but I can promise you this - when this world turns to dust, the one thing that will remain is my love for you.”

As her words faded from the air, they were replaced by soft sounds from the guests to her right.Glancing to the side, she realized that the women in the seats were teary-eyed, dabbing handkerchiefs to their eyes - including her mother.

Her mother was crying.

The sight was so shocking, for a moment Weiss had no idea how to even process it.But when she did, understanding hit her like a bolt of lightning.

The church was beautiful, the people in attendance were beautiful.Her dress, Cardin, the flowers, the sequins...all of it was beautiful. But it was all fake - beauty that barely scratched the surface.The most beautiful thing in this church was still clutched in her shaking hands - the tear-stained parchment paper containing her vows - the vows she’d never been able to say to Ruby. 

If someone as cold-hearted as her mother could be moved to tears by the love the two of them shared...

When this world turns to dust, her love would still remain.Her feelings for Ruby would never fade.She would feel like this for the rest of her life - she would feel this...empty...for the rest of her life.

She would have thrown away something _truly_ beautiful.All for a name.

...a name she hated.

Carefully folding the piece of paper into quarters, she slipped it into her dress rather than hand it back to Cinder.Taking a deep breath, she clasped her hands together in an attempt to lessen their shaking.

She _hated_ being a Schnee.

“Cardin, those words weren’t for you,” she said, speaking clearer than she ever had before.“They could never be for you, and they never will be.”

Gasps and murmurs came from the pews as Weiss backed away from the dumbstruck boy - the grin suddenly wiped from his face.She was going to leave this place now, but not without telling one more lie - the last she would tell for a long time.

“I’m sorry.”

Not wasting another second, she turned and ran through the door to the right of the altar - having no idea where she was going except for _away_.The sound of more and more voices speaking in confusion reached her ears as the door swung shut behind her. 

Pausing in the hallway, she pulled up the skirt of her dress and unstrapped one of her heels - the shoes slowing her down.Throwing the first to the side, she was reaching for the other when the door behind her opened and a hand suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Letting out a yelp of shock, she was spun around to face her furious mother.

“ _What_ do you think you’re doing??” the woman hissed, her fingernails cutting painfully into the skin on Weiss’ wrist.“You’re going to walk back in there _right now_ -”

“I’ll do no such thing!” Weiss shouted, twisting her arm in a futile attempt to free herself.“I refuse to marry him - and you can’t make me do something against my will!”

“I _can_ do just that!” her mother yelled while yanging Weiss forward - back towards the door to the chapel.

“I won’t marry someone I don’t love!” Weiss shouted back, digging in her heels and tugging backward.

“Why not? _I_ did,” her mother hissed back at her.

“I REFUSE TO BE YOU!”

The woman froze at Weiss’ scream, which was most certainly heard by the guests inside.But at least it had gotten her mother’s attention - the woman halting her actions while turning back to Weiss in surprise.

“I refuse to turn into someone who’s so...resentful at the world!Who’s consumed by appearances and wealth - you wouldn’t know a nice, kind person if they slapped you in the face!”

Letting out a loud exhale, Weiss temporarily ended the struggle to free her arm to say the words she’d wanted to say for a very long time.

“Maybe you didn’t ‘deserve’ to get stuck with such an ‘ungrateful’ daughter like me - one who doesn’t enjoy throwing money at frivolous things and gossiping about others.But maybe I didn’t deserve to be stuck with a mother like you.”

“I _know_ I’m not Winter,” she said - her mother’s gritted teeth only filling her with more defiance.“Yes, I said her name.She was _my sister_ \- I miss her too.But somewhere in your grief, you forgot that you had _two_ daughters. _I’m_ your daughter too!”

Taking another deep breath, she could feel every inch of her shaking in rage...fear...sorrow...as tears welled in her eyes.

“At least, I was your daughter.”

Ice blue eyes stared - the woman’s expression unreadable as she was paralyzed by the words.Weiss took the opportunity to rip her wrist free of the woman’s loosened grasp - quickly throwing her last heel away and bolting down the corridor, leaving her mother behind.

When Weiss reached the end of the hall, the corridor split into two directions - and she knew where neither led.

“Ruby!” 

Yelling the girl’s name, Weiss waited for a second before choosing a direction and taking it, praying it would lead her to the exit.

Another hallway, another decision.And no Ruby in sight.

There was no one in the halls, everyone still inside the main chapel.And she didn’t know where she was going - she’d never been in this part of the building before.Panic grew in her chest - bordering on hysteria as she searched.

“RUBY!!”

Ruby had to be here still, somewhere.She _had_ to be.If she wasn’t...

_Please, Ruby...don’t give up just yet._

The hallways became more familiar, and Weiss ran faster - her chest burning from the unexpected expense of energy.But, Ruby…was nowhere to be found.

The exit was near, Weiss knew that now.She was almost there.

_Please still be here..._

Slamming into the front door, she shoved with all her might as she pushed it open and was thrown into the cold winter air - wind blowing across her face as she frantically searched the outer grounds.Hoping for a glimpse of -

Ruby. 

Her throat made a strangled sound, somewhere between a sob and cry of relief as her eyes found the person she’d been searching so desperately for.

Ruby was still there - sitting on the curb, head in her hands, while Yang and Blake stood patiently nearby.

“Ruby!!” Weiss yelled, her voice echoing through the cold, thin air between them.

Ruby instantly jumped to her feet and spun around - their eyes meeting across the expanse of frozen space that separated them.

And then, Ruby was racing towards her.Weiss prodded her feet to run as fast as she possibly could, using every last ounce of energy she had to take her to the girl. 

They collided seconds later, their lips instantly locking while Ruby wrapped Weiss in a tight hug, lifting her feet several inches off the ground at the same moment.A small squeal passed her lips as she was spun in a circle, but that didn’t stop their kiss.

She kissed Ruby how she’d always wanted to kiss her - free of her family, of Cardin, of the wedding.

Free of any guilt.Free of any pain.

When she exhausted her initial supply of oxygen, she ended the kiss to hug Ruby, burying her face in Ruby’s neck while being securely held within strong arms.

“Ruby, I love you,” Weiss whispered in the girl’s ear before pulling away to gaze into silver eyes. 

Why did it feel _so good_ to say three tiny words out loud?

“I love you too,” Ruby replied with a smile brighter than the sun before pulling Weiss back in for another long kiss.Both of them ignored the snow that had begun to fall - giant, fluffy flakes of white landing in their hair and on their lashes.

Her feet may be frozen, her muscles weak, her eyes swollen from tears...

She may no longer be a Schnee…

But she was no longer alone.

“I knew you could do it,” Ruby whispered before pulling away and gazing at Weiss with loving silver eyes - eyes filled with the unwavering belief that she would always be there.

And she could be.She _would_ be. 

It had taken Weiss far too long to realize that she could do anything for Ruby.She _would_ do anything for Ruby. Because it was Ruby who made her heart beat.It was Ruby who allowed her to breathe.It was Ruby who made her whole.

Pulling Ruby closer, Weiss buried her face into the girl’s neck while breathing in the scent of roses.

“Please take me away from here,” she requested softly.

The next second, she let out a small squeak of surprise when Ruby scooped her right off the ground.Hiding her face in Ruby’s shoulder in embarrassment, Weiss allowed herself to be carried, bridal style, towards the waiting vehicle.

There was strength to be found in Ruby’s arms - strength to leave who she once was behind.Strength to move forward on a different path, one that wasn’t dictated to her by her parents.

Strength enough for her to leave that world behind.

Weiss didn’t need to be a Schnee to be happy.Happiness wasn’t found in a name, in money, or in prestige.Happiness was finding someone who would do anything for you and doing anything for them in return.

She’d finally found her source of happiness, and she was never letting go.


	27. Chapter 27

“Pretty sure Ruby just set a world record with how fast she ran to you,” Yang teased as she got into the driver’s seat of the vehicle.

“Wish they’d timed it,” Ruby quietly joked, carrying Weiss over to the car before gently setting her down on the sidewalk.Opening the back door, Ruby helped her in - which was, admittedly, a little challenging to do while wearing a wedding dress.But she made inside with Ruby’s help, and then Ruby gathered up the train of the wedding gown and set it on the floor before closing the door and running around to the other side.

They weren’t separated for more than a few seconds, but Weiss still turned to track Ruby’s every movement - not wanting to lose sight for an instant.After everything that had happened...she couldn’t let Ruby slip away.Not right now - not without thinking this might all be a dream.

When Ruby opened the door and practically dove into the car beside her, Weiss let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.The engine of the vehicle came to life, and they pulled away from the sidewalk - quickly leaving the church...Cardin...her family...behind. 

The small interior of the car felt cramped compared to the limousines Weiss was used to.It felt like there wasn’t enough air to breathe between the four of them, but it was also warm.So very, very warm.

It was the warmth she focused on, realizing just how cold she was.Which was no surprise, considering she’d run out into the snow in nothing but her wedding dress.From her bare shoulders, to her fingertips, and especially her bare feet, she was quite frozen at the moment.

Though her hands quickly thawed as Ruby held them, rubbing them softly to work more warmth into her stiff digits. 

Feeling Ruby’s hand slide over the cold, metal band of her engagement ring, Weiss instantly jerked her hands away.Quickly tugging off the last remaining mark of her engagement, she placed the ring in the first compartment she could find - if it hadn’t been worth more than several city blocks, she would’ve tossed it right out the window.

With the band out of sight and out of mind, she felt...truly free.A sigh of relief escaped her, and Ruby gave her a smile before pulling her into a somewhat-awkward sideways hug in the backseat - doing her best to lend as much of her body heat to Weiss as possible. 

It was working too.With each passing second, Weiss warmed as her shivers lessened.And then Ruby snuggled into her shoulder, placing a warm kiss to her neck that released all kinds of butterflies in her stomach.

“You guys need to put your seatbelts on!” Yang called back to them, her lilac eyes meeting Weiss’ for a split second in the rearview mirror before turning back to the road.

“Ooohh...the rarely seen, yet highly effective, big sister boner-kill.”

“Blakeeeee - come on, back me up here!”

Blake just giggled from the passenger seat, reaching over and lovingly patting her girlfriend’s shoulder in response to the whine.

But Ruby obediently moved Weiss’ legs fully into the seat behind Yang before reaching over to pull the seatbelt across her chest and click it into place.Then Ruby slid into the middle seat and buckled herself in, before promptly pulling Weiss back into a hug.

“There, happy?” Ruby directed towards the front seat, where Yang grumbled something that sounded like “Kind of…”

Unperturbed, Ruby nuzzled into Weiss’ shoulder - making her feel incredibly loved from the single gesture alone.

“I missed you,” Ruby whispered into Weiss’ ear before pulling away and smiling at her.

“I missed you too.”Reaching out, Weiss smiled and touched Ruby’s cheek before turning from captivating eyes to watch the world outside the window pass by.“I can’t believe I just did that…” she whispered, feeling a layer of shock settle in as the events of the past few minutes caught up to her.

“Yeah, did you make it down the aisle or what?” Yang asked from the front of the car.

“I made it all the way through my vows…”

Letting out a long whistle, Yang ended it with a very succinct, very appropriate, “Damn.”

Weiss turned back to Ruby when the girl squeezed her hand - telling her in one simple gesture that everything was going to be alright.Everything was going to be just fine...because they were together now.

Still, Weiss felt herself trembling as the magnitude of what she’d just done began to sink in.

She’d walked out on her wedding.

Ruby watched Weiss intently before leaning in to kiss her on the cheek - the sensation making her feel immeasurably better in an instant.

...she’d actually _run_ out on her wedding.

One of Ruby’s hands slipped around Weiss’ back, rubbing up and down while everything sank in - providing comfort and assurance while she worked through her emotions.

She’d run out on her wedding, but she was alive.Still very much alive.

When Ruby pressed a kiss to her cheek, and then her lips, Weiss had to conclude that she was better than just alive - she was...happily alive.She was happily alive, and growing happier by the second as Ruby stole kisses from her lips and ran a soft hand through her hair - undoing the hairdo that had taken quite some time to perfect this morning.

Weiss never understood how Ruby knew exactly how to make her feel better, but she willingly accepted the kisses and light touches - allowing Ruby to work miracles.

“Ugh...are you guys going to make out the _entire_ way home?”

The question cut into their moment, and Weiss quickly pulled away from Ruby - who seemed fully intent upon melting her heart right then and there.

“Just ignore her,” Ruby whispered.But Weiss hid her face in Ruby’s jacket in embarrassment when Ruby tried to steal another kiss.

“Yang…” Blake said calmly.“Imagine for a second that I just ran away with you from my wedding - what would _you_ be doing?”

“Well, I would...this isn’t about me!” Yang sputtered as Blake burst into happy laughter.“I would _at least_ sit on the other side of the car so the driver couldn’t _clearly_ see me in the rearview mirror!”

“Oh, you want us to move?” Ruby asked, reaching to unclip her seatbelt.

“No!” Yang shouted, earning laughs from her girlfriend and sister this time.“Just - we’re almost home.Try to keep it in your pants a minute.”

“What did you expect, she’s _your_ -”

“Hush!From the peanut gallery!”

A small smile appeared on Weiss’ lips as Blake giggled and turned to give her a quick wink. 

It was hard not to be amused by Yang’s larger than life personality - as she always said exactly what she felt at any given moment with no qualms about how embarrassing it might be.Anyone would be well served to take a lesson from her book...but just a small one.

The warmth on Weiss’ cheeks expanded when Ruby moved closer and nuzzled into the crook of Weiss’ neck.Soft breaths blew across her exposed collarbone, raising goosebumps along her arms that she hoped nobody would notice.

And Ruby seemed content to stay there, just like that, for the remainder of the ride.

Feeling eyes upon her, Weiss looked up and again caught Yang’s gaze in the rearview mirror - the girl studying her with an intensity that she immediately shied away from.

Apparently, some things had yet to be forgotten.

For the remainder of the drive, Weiss stared out the car window and watched giant snowflakes flurry towards the ground while the buildings passed by.Her heart skipped and jumped in her chest the entire time - not out of fear or anxiety, but from every little breath Ruby let out.

Soon, their surroundings grew familiar as they navigated the same roads Weiss had traveled what felt like a thousand times.However, instead of stopping in front of the apartment complex as she was accustomed to, Yang made an additional turn into the parking garage located underneath the building. 

After pulling into one of the spots, the car turned off, and Yang and Blake opened their doors to exit.Weiss was going to follow suit, but as soon as she reached towards the door handle a hand shot out and stopped her.

“Wait!” Ruby practically shouted before quickly unbuckling and sliding over to the other side of the vehicle and out the door.Weiss watched in stunned surprise as Ruby ran around the back of the car and pulled the door open for her.

“Ruby…” she murmured, unlatching her seat belt and gathering the wedding gown’s skirt into her hands so that she wouldn’t trip over it on the way out of the vehicle.“You don’t need to do that…”

“I know!” Ruby quipped, giving her a huge grin.“But I want to!”

Before Weiss could respond, Ruby leaned forward and placed a kiss on the top of her nose - shocking her into silence as Ruby took one of her hands and led her towards the exit of the garage.

Yang gave Weiss another glance before walking ahead with Blake - the small looks making Weiss feel like she was being...studied - as if Yang were trying to determine if she was pretending or not.

They walked from the garage to the sidewalk before entering the lobby on the main floor where the elevators were located.A short elevator ride and quick walk later, and they were strolling through the door of apartment 517 - being greeted quite enthusiastically by Zwei.

“Hey Zwei!” Yang said, smiling at the little dog while removing her jacket and hanging it on the coat rack by the door.“How’re you doing, little guy?”

Zwei gave a happy bark in response, and Yang laughed while haphazardly tossing her shoes underneath the coat rack and walking further inside the apartment.Blake and Ruby followed suit - and Weiss suddenly realized that she had nothing to change into...because she had no clothes at all.She had no possessions except for the dress she was wearing.

“Um...hey Blake?Could you loan Weiss a change of clothes?” Ruby asked, having the same realization as Weiss.“I think you’re probably closest to her size…”

“Of course.”Blake gave Weiss a smile before walking towards the bedroom with Zwei happily trotting along behind her.

“I have some sweatshirts you can wear if you’re cold,” Ruby offered, retaking Weiss’ hand and leading her further away from the door, into the heart of the apartment where the small dining table sat.

“I...I think I’m ok for now,” she answered, glancing around the unfamiliar room as her nerves reappeared.

While she’d _seen_ the inside the apartment plenty of times, she hadn’t spent much time in here.Really, she’d only been in here that one time when -

“Are you ok, Weiss?”

Hearing the concern in Ruby’s tone, Weiss looked into Ruby’s eyes and opened her mouth to respond - but found no immediate words to say.Her mind was in turmoil at the moment, flitting through one thought after another while struggling to decide what to say first.Before she said anything, however, Ruby moved closer - reaching out to comfort her.

“It’s just...what do I do now?” she asked as more and more unease appeared in her mind.“My entire life...my entire purpose...was to get married.Now that’s gone and…”

Stumbling upon the crux of the issue, she bit her lip and squeezed Ruby’s hand for support.

She felt aimless.Purposeless.She’d just given up her identity, so...who was she now?

“You don’t have to worry about that right now,” Ruby reassured her, wrapping both arms around her waist and tugging her close.“You can think about that tomorrow, or the next day, or next week - don’t worry about it today.”

Nodding in agreement, Weiss already felt better with Ruby holding her.Ruby shared her strength freely, and Weiss needed some of that strength at the moment.And maybe everything would be ok, because she always felt a sense of purpose and...belonging...when Ruby was nearby. 

“Are you sure you’re ok with having a broke, unqualified girlfriend?” Weiss joked - instantly flushing when she realized she’d just referred to herself as Ruby’s girlfriend, which was incredibly presumptuous -

“I would _love_ to have a broke, unqualified girlfriend!” Ruby replied with a laugh before nuzzling into Weiss’ neck again.It was the only answer Weiss would ever need, and made her heart soar with love.

“Do you need a place to stay?” Blake asked, setting a stack of neatly-folded clothing on the table as she returned to the conversation - glancing at Yang and receiving a miniscule nod of approval for the suggestion.“I’m sure Ruby wouldn’t mind sharing her room with you.”

As Ruby enthusiastically nodded, tears threatened to appear in Weiss’ eyes once again.The offer was so generous, it was nearly unimaginable. 

Before Weiss met Ruby, she never would’ve believed that someone would be kind to her when she had nothing - absolutely nothing - to offer them in return.People weren’t kind for no reason - they were kind because they wanted something.

And maybe Blake and Yang did want something...but it had nothing to do with money.They wanted to help her - out of the goodness of their hearts, and out of their love for Ruby.

“I…” Weiss began to say, unsure of how to appropriately accept such a kind and selfless gesture.“Thank you...that’s very generous of you…”

“It’s no problem at all.”Glancing at Yang one more time, Blake relaxed into an easy smile.“We’re happy to have you here.”

Before Weiss dissolved into a puddle of tears at one of the friendliest comments she’d ever received, Yang stepped forward and placed both hands on the back of the chair nearest to her.

“Do you really not have any money?” she asked, meeting Weiss’ eyes.

“Well, I have _some_ money saved up.When I was old enough, I opened a bank account and have been stashing money there for a while...”

Her parents expected her to spend much more than she was ever capable of, so she’d saved it instead of wasting it on expensive items she didn’t need.They were happy - for whatever reason - that she was spending money; she was happy that she wasn’t throwing it away.There was no reason for the habit outside of appeasing them, but it turned out to be in her benefit, after all.

“How much is in there?” Ruby asked.

“Oh, about…”

When Yang and Blake almost imperceptibly inched forward - both with avid curiosity in their eyes - Weiss paused and decided that maybe she should keep the value from becoming public knowledge.Leaning forward, she whispered it into Ruby’s ear instead.

And Ruby immediately burst out laughing.

“Weiss!That’s probably more than I’ll earn in a _lifetime_!!”

“Ah, then she’s paying rent,” Yang added with a grin before Blake elbowed her in the side.

“But it’s not enough to...spoil you as much as I’d like to…” Weiss admitted, her words trailing off while her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Weiss…” Ruby responded, squeezing Weiss’ hands and looking her straight in the eyes before continuing.“I didn’t fall in love with you for your money - I don’t care if you have none at all.I love you because being with you is like the greatest...the greatest _rush_ I’ve ever felt in my life!It’s like winning a big race multiplied by a million!We could be homeless, but as long as we have each other, I’ll consider myself the luckiest person in the world.”

Standing there with their hands clasped together, with Weiss was still dressed in her wedding gown, it was almost possible to believe that Ruby was saying vows of her own - speaking from her own heart just as Weiss had earlier in the chapel.

Only this time, she could say the words to the right person - the person who made her heart sing and dance and tumble through her chest.Nothing stood between them any longer.Nothing could stop Weiss from speaking every wonderful emotion she felt for Ruby.

“Well...I may not be able to give you everything in the world…” she whispered, her cheeks flushing an even darker shade of red at what she was about to say.“But I can give you all of me…” 

“That’s all I ever want,” Ruby replied with a grin.

“I love you…” Weiss said, suddenly not caring if Yang and Blake overheard - only caring that Ruby heard the words she’d wanted to say for so long.

“I love you too.”Stepping forward, Ruby kissed her again - one of those heart-stopping kisses that transported her to another dimension entirely.

“Awww…”

The sound instantly brought Weiss back to _this_ dimension, where an audience was watching them - Yang grinning while Blake wore a small smile.

“They’re so cute!!” Yang continued, clasping both hands in front of her chest.“Looks like I don’t need to kill Weiss, after all!”

Ruby took one look at Weiss - undoubtedly watching her cheeks approach a historically deep shade of red - before turning towards Yang.

“Could you guys give us some privacy for a bit?Like an hour - maybe two?”

Yang’s mouth dropped open at the request.

“Are you kicking us out of the apartment??” she sputtered in disbelief, glancing briefly to the side as Blake moved towards the front door to collect the jackets and shoes they’d just discarded.

Ignoring Yang’s comment, Ruby turned her full attention back to Weiss - her silver eyes revealing more concern.

“You look really frail, Weiss…” Ruby whispered, her eyes asking the question her words merely hinted at.“Like, you’ve lost a ton of weight.” 

“I...haven’t done a very good job of eating…” Weiss admitted, watching the concern in Ruby’s eyes amplify.

“I think Ruby still has a cherry you can have!” Yang called out from the door, where Blake was practically forcing her arms into a winter coat.

“Do you _want_ them to sleep together or not?” Blake asked in a huff.

“I don’t knowwwww!” Yang wailed as Blake shoved a pair of gloves into her hands.“It’s like I’m still super pissed at her, but also happy!”

Taking a deep breath, Weiss turned towards the two girls by the door.Now was probably as good a time as ever to say her apologies - and she did owe them a big apology.So...even though apologizing wasn’t something she was accustomed to...she would do it for them.

“I’m sorry...”Weiss began.The word felt strange on her tongue, but she didn’t linger on it for long - knowing she had much more to apologize for.“I’m sorry for lying to you and...for everything I put you through.All of you.I just - I didn’t know what to do.I didn’t want to lose Ruby...but then I didn’t want my family to hurt her...and it just became a complete mess...”

Turning her gaze towards her fidgeting fingers, she could still feel the weight of disappointment for how horrible she’d allowed everything to become - and how many people she’d hurt in the process.For someone who normally prided herself in making good decisions, it was remarkable how many poor ones she’d made.

But then Ruby’s arms wrapped around her from behind, silently saying that she’d already been forgiven.And when Weiss turned back to Yang, she watched a slow grin appear on Yang’s face while a smile also found its way to Blake’s lips.

Just like that, Weiss’ heart grew even larger - overflowing with love for all three of these girls.The ones who, in terms of happiness, were wealthier than anyone she’d ever known. 

With a nod accepting the apology, Blake then leaned over and whispered something in Yang’s ear.

“Yup, completely forgiven - you two have fun!” Yang suddenly said, practically dragging Blake out the door while shouting behind them, “Ruby, we’re borrowing your key to the tower!”

Blake grabbed Ruby’s keys off the table on their way out, giggling as the pair likely set off to add to the rumors of ghosts haunting Vale University’s magnificent spire.

In the sudden silence and privacy of the apartment, Weiss turned around and found Ruby looking at her with a silly little grin upon her lips. 

Even though Weiss felt assured that Ruby wasn’t mad at her, there was still so much that needed to be said.

“I...I left you a voicemail…”

She had no idea why that was the first thing out of her mouth, but for some reason she needed Ruby to know that she’d made an effort to reach out - as small as it may have been.

“Ah...yeah, Yang kinda...broke my phone…” Ruby answered, running one hand uncomfortably through her short hair.

“She - what?”

“Yeah, she kinda snapped it in half...oh, but don’t worry!” Ruby quickly added, responding to Weiss’ expression of disbelief.“She got me a new one right away, and it’s _so_ much better than my old one.”

Ruby then turned away but took hold of Weiss’ hands regardless.

“I was going to call, but I couldn’t remember the last four digits of your phone number.I would’ve gone to your house, but I was...I was worried you’d throw me out before I could say what I wanted to say.Or your mom would.Or that asshole would be there…”

Weiss cringed at the mention of Cardin, but also at the idea that she would’ve thrown Ruby out without listening.That wouldn’t have been the case at all.She’d wanted - _needed_ to see Ruby...

“So…” Ruby continued, squeezing Weiss’ hands once.“I kinda...spent the last few days calling random people.Until last night, I finally got the right number!But then your phone was turned off…”

Feeling the anguish in Ruby’s words, Weiss’ heart sank.Her phone hadn’t been turned off - she’d just broken it by throwing it into a wall.If she hadn’t done that…

Well, there was no use wandering down those paths any longer.They were together again, and that’s all that mattered.

“I was really upset…” Ruby whispered, sniffing and wiping at her nose with one hand.“It was the night before your wedding, and I never had the chance to tell you how I felt.Yang said I just needed to forget you and move on, but I told her that I couldn’t - I _wouldn’t_ \- not without telling you what I actually wanted.So she looked at Blake, and they did that silent talking thing they always do, and then she said ‘Alright - guess we’re crashing a wedding tomorrow.’”

If Weiss had had any words to say, they just disappeared - buried underneath the surprise that it was Yang who suggested Ruby come to the wedding.Then again, maybe it wasn’t that surprising when considering how much Yang loved her little sister.

“So after most of the guests got there, I snuck in,” Ruby explained.“The church was so big, I didn’t even know where to _start_ looking for you...but then I stumbled across your chauffeur guy, and he led me to that room...and then you were there...and then your mom…”

When Ruby’s lip quivered, she dropped one of Weiss’ hands and wiped away the tears filling her silver eyes.

“G-god, sorry.I didn’t sleep at all last night.I-I’m kind of a wreck.”

The sight of Ruby crying filled Weiss with a strange feeling...something akin to hyper protectiveness - like it was _not_ ok for those silver eyes to be anything but sparkling and happy.If it had been anyone else’s fault, she would make sure they suffered the full extent of her wrath.But since it was _her_ fault, all she could do was try to come to terms with it - to apologize and make it up to Ruby in any way possible.Most of all, she could make sure nothing like this ever happened again.

Reaching up, Weiss used her thumb to gently rub the tears away before letting her fingertips graze Ruby’s temple, brushing through short strands of brunette hair.Ruby was looking down at her now, smiling while her eyes regained their sparkle in leaps and bounds.

“I’m so sorry, Ruby…” Weiss whispered, feeling apology seeping from her every pore.“I’m sorry for everything I put you through...but I promise...I promise never to make you cry again.Unless it’s happy tears - I make no promises about happy tears.”

When Ruby giggled at the little joke, Weiss smiled - relieved that Ruby was so willing to laugh.

“You’re completely forgiven,” Ruby said before pulling Weiss into a crushing hug.“Now come on, we should make you something to eat.”

Before Ruby could walk away, Weiss wrapped her arms around the girl’s waist and pulled her close - burying her face in Ruby’s neck while enjoying the smell of Ruby’s hair and the warmth radiating from soft skin.From here, she could feel Ruby’s pulse thudding strongly with every heartbeat they shared.

“Can we just...stay like this for a little while?” she whispered.

“Of course…” Ruby replied softly, tightening her arms around Weiss’ back and pulling the two of them even closer.Weiss felt Ruby rest a chin on her shoulder and smiled when she heard the girl take a little sniff of her hair. 

“I should probably help you out of this dress though…”

“Ruby Rose!” Weiss gasped, feigning indignation as she pulled away to look into suddenly embarrassed silver eyes.“Just what kind of woman do you think I am??”

“N-no!I didn’t mean it like that!” Ruby sputtered, her cheeks flushing red as she tried to explain herself.“I just - it just...seems like it would be uncomfortable!”

When Weiss laughed at how incredibly flustered Ruby was, Ruby relaxed, and both of them quickly resumed the embrace they’d just been holding.

“I can change into the clothes Blake’s letting me borrow…” Weiss murmured into Ruby’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to wear them,” Ruby whispered back, causing Weiss to raise an eyebrow in surprise when that appeared to be the end of the reply.“I-I mean, if you don’t want to wear her clothes, I have tons you can borrow!”

Ruby hugged Weiss closer when she giggled again.

“I’m going to be really bad at this, aren’t I...” Ruby moaned softly.

Leaning back, Weiss looked squarely into Ruby’s eyes - the lively pools of silver holding nothing but love and adoration for her.She could only hope that her eyes displayed her true feelings for Ruby to see - that her own affection was so easy to read.

“Don’t worry...we can be bad at this, together.”With a small smile, Weiss pulled Ruby in for a kiss - just a first of many kisses she planned to share over the next hour. 

That’s what they would be from this day forward - for better, for worse - for richer, for poorer - in sickness and in health...they would be together.

Not even death could part them.


	28. Chapter 28

A week after the wedding, Weiss’ life was calming down as she settled into a new environment and a new routine.There was a lot to grow accustomed to - new roommates, a new...bedmate, new sounds, new smells, and everything else that went along with moving into a new home. 

Waking up in a strange bed on that first morning had been quite jarring - even more so when Ruby unexpectedly rolled over and wrapped Weiss in a warm hug.However, once the initial shock passed, she decided that maybe, just maybe, she could get used to this.

While her life was settling down, the same couldn’t be said for the world outside the remarkably-thin apartment walls.Ruby did her best to keep Weiss away from newspapers and the news in general, but one day - against her better judgment - she went online to find out what was being said about her, the wedding, and her family. 

Much to her surprise, her decision not to marry Cardin had caused quite a bit of upheaval.Many people offered their unsolicited opinions from a social standpoint - whether denouncing her decision because Cardin was a ‘catch’ or praising her for it since he was a ‘disgrace to mankind.’But the most... _interesting_ might be a good word for it...aftershock of her decision was the effect she’d had on her family’s company.

The term ‘turmoil’ was used in several articles to describe the current state of Schnee Industrial - a ‘cruise liner without a rudder’ and a ‘planet without an orbit’ had even popped up in some of the more creative editorials.Each author either danced around or directly posed the same question - who was next in line now?

One piece suggested that Cardin would still take over the company - that the Winchesters would remain successors to the most powerful position in Vale even without the arranged marriage.Over her father’s dead body, Weiss thought when she read that.If her father was anything, he was prideful - and the prospect of the company leaving the family name outright would never be acceptable to him.He would figure out a way to live forever before he considered that as an option.

Or he would find a way to force the marriage though - or some equivalent solution Weiss would equally hate.

With those thoughts in mind, Weiss lived the first few days after the wedding in a tremendous amount of fear - expecting hulking men in suits to break down the door and remove her from the apartment against her will.But, as more time passed, she understood that those nightmares would never occur - and she thought she understood why.

Unpredictable - that’s what she was now. 

Her parents would force her to come back if they knew what they could expect from her, but any uncertainty resulted in caution on their part. A significant blow had already been dealt to the Schnee name in terms of general embarrassment and political unrest - they couldn’t risk her doing something else that made front page news.And, in this era of ubiquitous technology, they surely realized that it would be impossible to keep her quiet forever if that was against her wishes.

Even though she felt that she owed them nothing - that her time served as their dutiful daughter was more than enough payment for the education and nourishment they’d provided - there was still a considerable amount of guilt weighing upon her heart for the difficulties she’d caused.But whenever she felt that way, she stole one glance at Ruby - her heart doing that embarrassing stutter step it always seemed to do - and she knew she’d made the right decision.

The right decision for _her_.

With Ruby on winter break and Weiss’ employment status...well, she’d always technically been ‘unemployed’...the two of them spent nearly every waking second together.They ventured out shopping early in the week - one of the most peculiarly enjoyable experiences Weiss had ever had - and she’d purchased some new clothing.Nothing spectacular, just a few reasonable outfits so she’d have something besides a wedding gown to call her own.

Not that she even had the gown any longer.Blake and Yang had taken it to be donated the day after the wedding - although Weiss would never know if the garment ever made it all the way to the thrift shop after Yang suggested that they burn it instead.

What it was with that girl and fire, Weiss would never know.She’d only been here a few days, and Yang had already recommended they set fire to at least half a dozen items.Blake kept snatching matchbooks out of Yang’s hands, but it seemed as if she had a never-ending supply of them.

Without the wedding to plan or her parents instructing her what to do, a majority of Weiss’ time was spent lounging around the apartment.And, even though she owned a modest new wardrobe, more often than not she found herself wearing one of Ruby’s many sweatshirts.

Her personal favorite was Ruby’s track hoodie - dark red with ‘Vale Track’ written across the front in large, blocky white letters.It was a little too large for her - the cuffs covering her hands and the hem falling past her waist, but it smelled like Ruby.And, on the very few instances when Ruby was not by her side, there was nothing better than being wrapped in something that reminded her that Ruby was nearby.

Right now Weiss had the best of both worlds - wrapped in the comfortable sweatshirt while also enveloped by Ruby’s arms.They were laying on the sofa together - Ruby sitting behind her while she reclined against the girl’s chest.Ruby played with her hands all the while, entwining and separating their fingers over and over again.

It was nice...being here like this.There was no outside pressure - they could simply enjoy each other’s company in peace.Being together was more than enough.

“Would you rather have ten fingers on your left hand and none on your right, or ten on your right...and none on your left?”

Weiss let out a huff at the unexpected question.

Of course, _being_ with Ruby always carried its own unique tune.

“What kind of question is that?”

“I dunno,” Ruby replied from behind her, temporarily jostling her in what could only have been a shrug.“I was just curious.”

“Hmm…I think...ten on my left would be better,” Weiss answered after putting far too much thought into the menial question.“That way I could still write.”

“Smart, smart…” 

There was a short moment of silence, with Ruby squeezing Weiss’ hands before releasing them again.

“What about toes?” 

Playfully rolling her eyes at the question, Weiss couldn’t help but smile at the direction their afternoon was taking.

“Ten on my right foot,” she answered quickly.“Then maybe it will even out with my hands.”

“You’d be a pretty weird human - all off balance like that.”

“ _I’d_ be the weird one??What about the person who’s _asking_ these questions - shouldn’t they be even weirder?” 

“Well, yeah.But everyone already knows I’m weird.”

“Why wasn’t I informed of that before I started...dating you?” 

The word caught in Weiss’ mouth, as it still felt unfamiliar and unusual to attach such common vernacular to their relationship.‘Dating’ didn’t seem to adequately capture what they had together.After everything they’d been through, Weiss wanted a more weighty term to call Ruby hers.

“You should’ve done a better check into my history then!” Ruby replied with a giggle.

Even though Ruby couldn’t see her, Weiss smiled - clasping one of her hands around Ruby’s for a few seconds before releasing once more.Ordinarily, she would’ve done an extensive background check before making such drastic choices for one person, but...when Ruby was an open book, there was no need.

“Oh, speaking of history…” Weiss said, suddenly remembering the final project she’d edited for Ruby.“How’d you end up doing on that paper I helped with?”

“Oh!!Weiss!I forgot to tell you about that!” Ruby began excitedly, the bubbling energy making Weiss’ pillow slightly less comfortable to lean against as it fidgeted around.“I got a perfect score!The teacher even asked if she could save it as an example for future classes!”

That response brought another smile to Weiss’ lips.She could still write a mean paper.Or... _edit_ a mean paper, since she hadn’t _technically_...

Well, whatever, she’d practically written it.

Another short moment of silence fell upon them, which she already knew would be short-lived, as either Ruby would break the quiet or she would.

Ruby started quietly humming while playing with Weiss’ hair - a feeling she’d very quickly come to love.She was convinced that Ruby’s hands had legitimate healing powers, though the source of their magic eluded her.All she knew for certain was that when Ruby touched her, every superfluous thought in her mind disappeared.

Not that her thoughts these days strayed far from Ruby, to begin with.

“I love you…” she whispered, just loud enough so Ruby could hear.

“I love you too, Weiss Schnee!” Ruby replied, _loudly_ \- the superfluous volume in the previously-silent apartment making Weiss cringe.

“There’s no reason to yell...dolt.”

“But I need to make sure anyone in the hallway can hear it!”Thankfully, Ruby responded in a much quieter tone before continuing.“Because I love you more than winning races, than fresh snow, than -”

“Than desserts?” Weiss cut it.

“...and more than desserts!!”

“You hesitated!” she gasped, sitting up and turning around to find a blushing Ruby Rose sitting behind her.

“W-what?I totally did not!”

“You ‘totally’ did!Oh my god, you’d trade me for a cookie,” Weiss lamented, falling back into Ruby’s arms while placing the back of her hand to her forehead as if she suddenly felt faint.Sensing the playful tone, Ruby wrapped both arms around Weiss and tugged her close.

“I just...I don’t know why you and desserts can’t go together!Why does it have to be one or the other?”

Weiss laughed at the response, knowing precisely what Ruby was hinting at.

“Really?You’re going to make another argument for allowing sweets in bed?”

“Is it really so bad??”

“Ruby, I woke up with chocolate smeared all over me!”

“Yeah, but...I helped you clean that off…”

Weiss’ cheeks immediately flushed at the memory, suddenly very grateful Ruby couldn’t see her face.

Even Yang would’ve blushed at the events of that morning.Or...probably not.Whenever Blake was around, Yang seemed to lose the ability to feel shame.It was quite remarkable, really.

As they lapsed back into a comfortable silence, Weiss mulled over what she wanted to say next.She’d been thinking about something for a few days now - something she wanted to discuss with Ruby when the time was right.

If cuddling together on the sofa wasn’t the right time, she didn’t know what was.

“Hey...Ruby?”

“Hmm?” came the distracted reply from behind her as Ruby gently played with her hair once again.A spike of nerves caused her heart to beat faster, but Weiss _knew_ this was what she wanted - and she knew she wanted to put the idea out there.

“I’ve been thinking...I have enough money to rent someplace reasonable for a while...s-so I thought that maybe I’d find a place to live.I mean, n-not that it’s not great staying here!I just, think this apartment is a little small for four people…”

After taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she exhaled slowly through her mouth before pushing forward.

“But I was wondering if maybe...m-maybe you’d like to live with me?”

Ruby’s hands stilled at the question - the sudden inaction shooting Weiss’ nerves through the roof.

“I-I mean, only if you wanted to!Don’t feel like you have to or -”

Her stammers cut off when Ruby covered her mouth with one hand.

“I’d love to.”

Finally sitting up, Weiss spun around on the sofa to look Ruby in the eyes - and found her grinning from ear-to-ear.

“You...you would?”

For some reason, Weiss was genuinely shocked by the answer.But why was it so surprising?They loved each other.They spent as much time as possible together...

“Yes,” Ruby repeated, nodding enthusiastically for emphasis.

“Even though I’ve never lived on my own?” Weiss asked as her heart skipped several beats from happiness.

“I’ve never lived on my own either,” Ruby pointed out.

“And I don’t have a job?” 

“I don’t have a job either!” Ruby replied with an even bigger smile that Weiss couldn’t help but return.

“And I won’t let you eat cookies in bed?”

“Woahhhh woah woah!” Ruby immediately said, raising one hand in the air.“Hold the phone there.That rule would move with us??”

The term ‘us’ made Weiss feel amazingly light and giddy - a high of emotions she might never come back down from.Ruby wanted to live with her - with _her_.They were already technically living together, but the fact that Ruby was willing to live with Weiss alone…it was a remarkable feeling that made her heart pound with undying love.

Leaning forward, Weiss planted a kiss on Ruby’s lips and hovered close once they separated.

“Maybe you can...negotiate better terms?” she whispered, moving her lips against Ruby’s while she spoke. 

Ruby reacted in a flash, pulling Weiss backward on top of her and making her squeal in the process.Now finding herself laying on top of Ruby, it seemed that the only appropriate next move was to kiss Ruby again - which Weiss very gladly did.

If Ruby’s hands had healing powers, her lips could reanimate the dead.And when Weiss felt both upon her, as they currently were, there was very little that could break her out of the spell she fell under.

Someone knocking on the door was apparently one of those things.

“Wha -” she immediately complained as Ruby shot up from the sofa to answer the knocks - much to Weiss’ chagrin at being abandoned in the middle of their kisses.Sitting back on the sofa, she frowned at the girl racing to the front door.

“Negotiation unsuccessful,” she said with a pout.

“It’s called a negotiation tactic, beautiful!I know how you get when you have to wait.”Giving Weiss a grin and wink, Ruby turned and answered the door.“Oh…uh, hi?”

“May I come in?I’d like to speak to my daughter.”

The gruff voice brought Weiss to her feet as Ruby turned around to look at her - silver eyes asking if she should let the man in or slam the door in his face.When Weiss gave Ruby a tiny nod, she obligingly stepped back and held the door open.

Into the room strode Weiss’ father - dressed in a full business suit, likely having come straight from the office.Ruby’s sweatshirt and the pair of jeans Weiss was wearing were far too informal to be worn anywhere near the man’s presence, which he immediately let her know with the disdainful look he gave her.

He was imposing as he’d always been.

While he stared her down, Weiss felt her hands tremor as Ruby returned to her side.

“I’d like a moment to speak with my daughter.Alone,” he directed to Ruby.It was polite, but it was an order.However, Ruby didn’t budge - not without looking to Weiss first.

“It’s ok, Ruby,” Weiss whispered, managing a small smile.Reaching out, Ruby squeezed Weiss’ hand in encouragement before walking into the kitchen.Weiss breathed a sigh of relief that Ruby wasn’t leaving the apartment - she would be just in the other room if Weiss needed her.

Turning back to her father, Weiss swallowed once and straightened her posture.

“How did you know where to find me?” she asked first.

“Did you really think you could have drivers under my employ take you somewhere and not remember the address?” he asked in return, directing the question back to her.

“James?” she asked, but her father scoffed at the name.

“My personal driver wouldn’t admit to knowing where this place was.But there were other options - and an easily-persuaded woman on the first floor.”

The only thing Weiss could do was nod at the explanation - the man once again proving his ingenuity at obtaining information.She’d never even thought of the trail of breadcrumbs she’d left behind that led right to Ruby’s front door.

“Quite the life you’re living,” her father continued, looking around the small room filled with inexpensive furniture - his lip curling in unconcealed disgust.

“I’m happy here,” she responded flatly - dispelling any notion he might have that living in these conditions bothered her.Because it didn’t.It was actually _more_ comfortable here than the sprawling mansion where she’d grown up.

“I can see that,” he replied, his eyes snapping back to her.“But I’ve come to take you home.”

The words moved her a step backward, panic setting in as the nightmare she’d been dreading appeared not in the form of armed bodyguards, but in the form of the devil himself.

“No - I won’t go,” she replied as firmly as possible.“And you can’t make me.”

Clasping her hands behind her back, she tried to hide the fact that they were shaking in trepidation.

She’d never spoken back to her father, and she’d never even thought to do so.For as much as he sometimes coddled her, she knew him in business matters to be vicious, ruthless and intimidating when things weren’t going his way.And she wouldn’t - she couldn’t - let this go his way.

Ruby was right in the other room if Weiss needed her.They weren’t going to be separated - not again.

“Your mother wants you back at home,” he said, watching her closely.

“I don’t care what she wants.”

Never was there a truer answer than that. 

“You have a duty to your family -”

“I _refuse_ to fulfill that duty if it means being _unhappy_ for the rest of my life,” Weiss cut in, watching his eyes widen at the interruption.But those words had brought anger into her veins, steeling her against the ‘duty’ she’d fought against for her entire life - that she would _never_ give into, not if it meant giving up Ruby.

Her father looked at her intently now, analyzing her as if she was a formidable opponent, not just some child to speak down to.After a few more seconds passed, he nodded once.

“Fine.”

Now it was Weiss’ turn to widen her eyes in surprise.Had she just won that argument??

“But - you _will_ be taking over in my place.”

“What?” she asked, instantly confused.“But...the wedding - and Cardin.I thought that he -”

The man scowled at her stutters - silencing her attempt at words.

“All the posturing - that he should still take over, that we’re the ones who broke the agreement... _I_ refuse to hand over _my_ family’s legacy to that _brainless bastard_ of a Winchester,” he spit angrily.“It will remain in the Schnee name, or god help me I’ll run the entire company into the ground.”

Weiss stared at the man in shock - he couldn’t mean this, could he?

“Mother would never allow it,” she said.

“I think by now she’s learned that the only thing worse than having an insolent heir, is having none,” he replied flippantly, clearly not caring what the woman thought of his plans.

Opening her mouth to speak again, Weiss found a jumble of questions struggling to get out - most of them beginning with one word. 

“Why?”

For a moment, he looked pensive, as if actually caring about how he answered the question.

“I watched you bend to your mother’s every whim your entire life,” he replied, his eyes cold but...determined.“It wasn’t until just now that I saw someone who might be capable of stepping into my place.And if you _refuse_ to marry, then we might as well forego all tradition.”

“But what if...what if I don’t want to be a Schnee anymore?” 

He laughed as if that question were ludicrous.

“Have you not gotten everything you wanted?” he asked her in return, waving one hand around the room they stood in.“The partner you wanted, the living situation, the freedom?”

Thinking about Ruby and the last few days they’d spent together, Weiss smiled and nodded - and his lips curled in satisfaction at her answer.Nodding again, he turned and strode purposefully back to the door, pausing for a second in the doorway to look back at her.

“Weiss, my dear girl, you are the very embodiment of what it means to be a _true_ Schnee.”

With that, he walked out the door and swung it shut behind him - but not before Weiss caught his last words as he stepped into the hall.

“A Schnee always gets what they want...”

The apartment became ungodly quiet in an instant - quiet except for the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.She didn’t move a muscle, frozen to the floor for who knows how long before Ruby came out to get her.

Jumping when Ruby wrapped her in a hug, Weiss tried to relax but realized she was shaking - her pent-up nerves searching for any means of escape from her system.Ruby must’ve felt the shivers because she gently led Weiss by the hand over to the sofa to sit down. 

As soon as Weiss sat down, Ruby sat right beside her - rubbing one hand up and down her back while waiting for her to speak first.Not rushing her to talk...just calmly waiting, being there to support her through anything and everything. 

Her initial thought was how this was almost the same position they’d been in right before they’d first kissed.How different the situation was now.At that time, Weiss had been so broken, weak, and in pain.But now...every day she felt stronger, like she was capable of accomplishing anything.As long as Ruby was by her side.

“He...well, you see...the women in my family never go into the family business,” Weiss began, trying to explain as best as possible so Ruby would understand.“It’s always the men, whether they’re married in or a ‘true Schnee.’Cardin...Cardin was supposed to take my father’s place, but…”

“But he wants you to do it,” Ruby finished after Weiss’ words trailed off.

“Apparently…”

“Do you want to?”

“I...I’m not sure.It would be so much work - difficult and demanding work.And I’m not even sure I _can_ do it.”

Thinking about it, Weiss bit her lip in uncertainty.That path had never been open to her, so she’d never bothered considering it a possibility.Now that it was...

“Weiss, you’re super smart - you’re more than capable!” Ruby assured her, once again displaying blind faith in her abilities.

“Maybe, but…”

But what if she became like him?

“You aren’t like your parents...and you’ll never be like them,” Ruby replied, somehow knowing what most worried Weiss about this new situation.

“How can you be so sure?” she asked, turning to take in warm, silver eyes.

“Because you have me!” Ruby replied confidently, before promptly dissolving into giggles.But the response made Weiss smile - something Ruby always managed to do.

And Ruby was right.Weiss had something her parents were never lucky enough to have - she had someone she truly loved.Someone to keep her grounded - to keep her sane.Someone who would always make her see that there was more to life than money and power.

Smiling at Ruby, Weiss decided to let that decision go for now - there were more important things right here in front of her, after all.

“You know…” she began, slowly walking her fingers up the front of Ruby’s shirt.“He did make an interesting comment about how ‘a Schnee always gets what they want...’”

“Schnees only?What about me??”

“Well... _I_ want whatever _you_ want,” Weiss replied, leaning closer to Ruby in hopes of stealing a kiss.“Which right now I’m hoping is the very same thing…”

But Ruby only kissed Wess lightly on the lips before pulling away - not allowing the kiss to grow any deeper.

“So…” Ruby snuck in between two more _highly_ unsatisfying kisses, giving Weiss nothing more than quick pecks on the mouth before moving away.“About...those...cookies…?”

Weiss burst out laughing at the question - realizing that Ruby’s negotiation tactics were actually top notch.

“Ruby, whatever you want, I’ll give it to you,” she answered honestly - speaking to more than just eating cookies in bed.“You’re the single most important thing in my life.”

The most important, and the most...real.There was nothing fake or artificial about Ruby’s feelings or abundant joyfulness.She didn’t have to pretend to be something she wasn’t to make Weiss happy - and she didn’t expect Weiss to pretend, in return.They were made for each other, in that way - fitting perfectly together in all their imperfections. 

While Ruby grinned - abundantly ecstatic with the previous response - Weiss leaned in to try to steal another kiss but was again unsuccessful.

“Does that mean...ice cream in bed?” Ruby asked while pulling away.

“Yes…” Weiss answered softly, immediately rewarded with a longer kiss for the granted permission.

“And...cake?”

“Yes,” she responded without hesitation, earning another long kiss before Ruby drew away again.

“Anddddd…”

Before Ruby could get out the name of yet another dessert, Weiss grabbed her by the shirt and kissed her roughly - intensely - passionately - just a _little_ bit irritated at their previous kisses.Only when she felt somewhat satisfied did she release Ruby for a second and look deep into loving, mischievous silver eyes.

“ _Whatever_ you want,” Weiss breathed.

This time, Ruby kissed her - a heart-melting kiss that would’ve gotten the girl literally _anything_ she wanted. 

As the kiss deepened and Weiss’ cognitive abilities began to falter, one last thought managed to flit across her mind before the rose-colored curtain fell shut -

If she ever walked down the aisle again...Ruby would be the one waiting for her at the altar.

 

~Rush~


	29. Chapter 29

“So...what do you think?”

Ruby finally met Weiss’ gaze - the two of them sharing an equivalent expression of disbelief and amazement at what they’d just spent the entire day reading. 

Weiss finished reading some time ago, with Yang ending shortly after that.The competitive side of her suspected that Yang had had the privilege of early access to some of the material.Then again, Yang was surprising in many ways...maybe being a quick reader was yet another one.

Over the past half hour, Weiss intently watched Ruby read - sharing in the emotions passing across Ruby’s face - her heart racing when that brow furrowed with the frown and lifting when a smile picked up the edges of those lips.

When Ruby grinned, Weiss felt her muscles relax, unraveling the tension she’d been unwittingly holding over the past few hours.Coming into today, she hadn’t known what to expect - what emotions and memories would she have to confront?How would she feel after going through everything yet again?

Surprisingly, it was much more...re-livable...than she’d imagined.But not in a bad way.More like a... _wow_ way.

“Well…” Weiss began slowly, turning from Ruby to Blake - who was sitting in one of the chairs across from the two of them.“ _Technically,_ it wasn’t a park across from the flower shop - it was more like a forest…”

Ruby nodded enthusiastically, immediately catching on to Weiss’ little ploy.

“Yeah!And I run all the _long_ distances in track - not those short, wimpy ones.”

Blake shook her head at their answers.

“Those are just details!What’s most important is the main theme - an heiress,” Blake nodded towards Weiss, “falls in love with a peasant -”

“Hey!I’m not a peasant!I’m in college!” Ruby protested.

“College student is basically the same thing as peasant,” Yang replied, giving her younger sister a big grin from her seat next to Blake.

“But it makes it sound like I was homeless or something…” Ruby muttered, slumping against the sofa beside Weiss.

“Ruby, you were sleeping on the _futon_ in our living room!You’re lucky Blake ‘gave’ you a room in the story,” Yang replied with an easy laugh, tossing the stack of papers onto the coffee table separating them before crossing her legs and reaching over to grab Blake’s hand.

“Still -”

“I _wish_ she’d had her own room…” Weiss lamented, putting a quick end to what could easily turn into another long-winded argument between the sisters.“It would’ve been nice to have some privacy before we found our own place…” 

“Hey, I saw _way_ more of you than _I_ ever wanted to see too, Princess,” Yang retorted, instantly bringing a blush to Weiss’ cheeks from the memories.

In the short time they’d lived together, Weiss learned quite a few valuable lessons.The most important was to _always_ knock on doors before entering, _even_ if they were unlocked.And even then, sometimes it was best to take a second and listen before proceeding.

“ _Anyway_ ,” Blake cut in, silencing them both with a light glare.“It’s about an heiress who falls in love with a _college student_.Many obstacles are placed in their way, but true love prevails against all the odds.”

Leaning against the back of the sofa, Weiss could only nod at that last statement and saw Ruby do the same.The obstacles they’d faced felt insurmountable at times, but they’d made it.Weiss gave full credit for their success to Ruby - the brunette’s resilience and courage the only reasons why they’d managed to stay together.After all, it was only through Ruby that Weiss found the strength to do what she’d done.

“Should I be worried that the only _nice_ guy in the book has the same name as that dumb guy at the coffee shop who’s always flirting with you?” Yang suddenly asked.

Weiss laughed at the question, knowing full well who Yang was referring to.That guy must _really_ get on her nerves...

“Who do you mean?” Blake asked in confusion, having not made the connection yet.

“That guy who keeps putting hearts in the foam on your coffee!” Yang answered, making Blake laugh in understanding.

“But he does the same for you, Yang!”

“That’s just to spite me…” Yang grumbled while the three of them laughed at her spike of jealousy.

“But the driver’s name was James, right Weiss?”

“Yes, it was James,” Weiss confirmed, nodding for good measure to reassure Yang that Blake wasn’t trying to pull a fast one on her.

James was the only one in Weiss’ life who’d been on her side through everything.She never understood why he held such a soft spot for her when most of her family’s employees treated her so indifferently.The only explanation she could think of was that it was because he’d seen her mother slap her that one time…

Either way, he’d helped her in more ways than one - for which she was eternally grateful.She reached out to him after the wedding to thank him for what he’d done.He’d risked his job by letting Ruby into the church, but there’d been no other way for Ruby to get inside, with the doors either locked or manned by guards checking everyone’s identification against the official guest list.

“I just remember the look on his face when I set that letter on fire,” Yang replied with a wide grin, having already moved on from her envy. 

“Burning yourself in the process,” Blake teased, causing Yang to blush in embarrassment.

“Yeah...that’s why I had to shut the door so quickly!”

“Serves you right,” Ruby piped up from beside Weiss.“That letter was for _me_.If _anyone_ was going to light it on fire, it should’ve been me!”

When Weiss turned to Ruby with wide eyes, she immediately backpedaled.

“I mean - not that I would have!I would’ve read it, of course!”

Shaking her head and smiling, Weiss reached over and pulled Ruby closer.If Yang and Blake weren’t around, Weiss would’ve pulled Ruby right into her lap, but they had company, so...

“I’m going to change the names,” Blake continued, bringing Weiss’ wandering mind back to the conversation at hand.“But I left them so that it wouldn’t be confusing for you to read.”

“Nooooo, don’t change Weiss’ name!” Ruby immediately wailed.“It was one of the first things I fell in love with!Like ‘oh, who’s this beautiful, sexy girl with the beautiful, sexy name?’You can’t change it - I love her name!”

“Do you now?” 

The question was facetious, as Weiss already knew just how much Ruby loved her name.Ruby never missed an opportunity to say it - sometimes calling Weiss from another room just to say it out loud.And there was nothing more adorable than the little song Ruby had made up, composed entirely of her name.

‘Weiss, Weisss...Weiss.Weiss Weiss Weiss...’

It always put a smile on her face when she caught Ruby singing it around their home.

“I can’t leave them the same,” Blake explained, gesturing towards Weiss.“Everyone knows who Weiss is.”

Agreeing with that statement, Weiss nodded to Ruby - silently saying that other names were needed to maintain their privacy.

“Oh!Then can my name be ‘Anna?’” Ruby asked, readily giving up her hopeless crusade.

After considering the suggestion for a second, Blake shook her head. 

“I already know an Anna - it would be weird to give your character the same name.”

“Aww...dang - I like that name!” Ruby said, turning towards Weiss with an adorable pout.She patted Ruby’s knee reassuringly, knowing that their entire night would be spent bouncing around ideas for names Blake could use for their characters.

“If you can think of another one, I’ll use that -”

“Can my name stay the same?” Yang interrupted.“I don’t think anyone knows me.”

Blake sighed at the request. 

“Sure, your name can stay the same.” 

Grinning at the answer, Yang turned and stuck out her tongue at Ruby.

“Heyyyy, why doesn’t she have to change her name, but we have to change ours??” Ruby complained, falling into her sister’s trap.

“Because it’s my story and that’s what I’ve decided!” Blake replied in exasperation.

“Well, technically...it’s _our_ story…” Weiss pointed out while gesturing between herself and Ruby, earning another sigh from Blake.

When Blake first approached her to ask permission to write their story, Weiss had been extremely hesitant.She wasn’t sure that she _wanted_ to have that information immortalized in print form, where everyone and anyone was free to read it.

After reading what Blake had created - in just a few months, too - Weiss was glad that she and Ruby had agreed.It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and inspiring all at the same time.

“Do you want everyone to know that these characters are you two?Because then I can write a biography - _if_ you’re honest about _everything_ that happened.”

Receiving a pointed look from Blake, Weiss looked at Ruby - the two of them sharing a silent conversation about that option.From what she’d just read, the two of them had left out just a _few_ stories for the sake of not humiliating themselves - thankfully, the same ones.Like the time Weiss instructed one of the chauffeurs to take a hike while she and Ruby spent some...quality time...together in the parking lot of The Vale Baker after hours...

“No, I guess not…” Ruby mumbled while Weiss shook her head, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks that hopefully no one would notice.

“You did capture my mother’s character very well,” she added to change the subject - the praise bringing a smile to Blake’s face.

The day of the wedding had been months ago, yet Weiss’ mother had made no effort to contact her - which was just as well.One day, maybe she would reach out and see if they could salvage some semblance of a cordial relationship, but that was going to be a very, very long time from now.

And maybe, in her own peculiar way, the woman’s silence was...well, not _approval_ , but...acceptance of some kind.Acceptance of what Weiss had done and where it had taken all of them.

At least, she could hope for as much.

“And you got Cardin right - that douche bag…” Ruby muttered from beside her.Reaching over, Weiss patted Ruby’s knee again and gave her a reassuring smile.

Understandably, Ruby flipped out when Weiss recounted what Cardin had done.She’d never seen Ruby _that_ upset before - and likely never would again.

They’d gone together to return the ring - which, thankfully, they found in the backseat of Yang’s car after much searching.And Cardin was just fine.He was actually much nicer than Weiss had expected him to be.Thankfully, his parents had placed all of the blame for what happened upon her and her family - allowing him to escape their ire entirely.

He’d even expressed a small amount of gratitude for what Weiss had done, because she’d unwittingly extended his time to do whatever he wanted.As an added ‘bonus,’ apparently being left at the altar had given him an immense boost to his ‘game’ - something about playing the sympathy card and having girls all over him... 

For once, Weiss was able to listen to him with far more amusement and revulsion than irritation, knowing that in a few minutes, she would leave with Ruby and likely never see him again. 

Of course, when he had the nerve to request a kiss goodbye, Ruby had threatened to stab him with a butter knife... 

“Oh, but hey, how come your character was hardly in the story?” Ruby inquired.

“Because the story was between you two and Yang as the protective older sister - I didn’t play a very big part in your relationship at all,” Blake responded easily - the answer having clearly been thought of in advance.

“A role I played to perfection,” Yang replied with a smirk.

Weiss shared a smile with Yang - clearly remembering the conversation the two of them had shortly after the wedding.Never before had so much bodily harm been threatened upon her - which she’d readily granted permission to occur if she ever hurt Ruby again.She might have even signed something to that effect.

“But what about that time Weiss and I walked in on you two ‘doing it’ on the kitchen table?” Ruby continued, oh so innocently.

When Yang burst into laughter, Blake flushed a deep red.

“Not relevant to the story…” she mumbled, slapping one hand against Yang’s shoulder to quiet her.

“Oh, _I_ think it was probably pretty relevant!” Yang responded.“How else would Weiss have known she wanted to do the same with Ruby?”

Weiss’ jaw dropped at the comment - her cheeks heating considerably - but she managed to force a scowl in the face of Yang’s grin.

“That was _not_ what I was thinking.”

“Weiss, you could hardly look at me without blushing for the next two days,” Ruby said, giggling when Weiss gave her a look of utter betrayal.

“I - I was sunburned!” Weiss sputtered, trying to save as much dignity as possible.

“In the middle of winter?” Blake asked with a quirked eyebrow.

“I have very delicate skin.”

While they laughed, Weiss pretended to sulk, but she didn’t feel victimized in the slightest by the way they teased her.More than anything, it made her feel...included.This was her family now, which meant she got teased more often than not. 

But she fit in her share of playful jokes in return.

“By the way, I think there’s a bit of author bias,” Weiss began with a grin, the comment putting an immediate halt to Blake’s laughter.“All of the scenes between Yang and I make it seem like I’d sleep with her if Ruby weren’t around.”

Blake’s eyes widened in surprise, but Yang instantly sat forward in her chair, clasping both hands in front of her in excitement.

“Are you saying you wouldn’t?”

Weiss scoffed, but quickly realized she might’ve overstepped her means with this tease. 

“No, I would not.”

“Come on, Weiss,” Yang goaded her.“No need to play coy.Imagine an alternate universe - no Blake, no Ruby...you’re saying we wouldn’t get together just _once_?”

Yang was leaning close now, charm oozing from every pore in her body while stupidly-pretty lilac eyes sparkled with excitement.God, she could turn on the appeal when she wanted to.Weiss didn’t understand how Blake ever said ‘no’ when Yang wanted something from her.Maybe Blake just never said ‘no’…

Weiss was lucky Ruby only inherited a small portion of that ability. Otherwise, she’d be in trouble.Although, come to think of it, when was the last time she’d told Ruby ‘no?’

“I like the book version of you better,” Weiss replied, leaning away from Yang while Ruby’s arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her close.

“I do too!” Ruby agreed, nestling her chin comfortably on Weiss’ shoulder.

“And if you want to imagine a world without me in it, that can certainly be arranged,” Blake added, trying to appear unhappy but failing miserably.

“Oh come onnnn guys!!” Yang wailed, pouting for a split second before a mischievous grin slowly appeared.

“Well, at least story-Blake wasn’t such a high schooler.‘I think Weiss likes Ruby.’‘I think they like each other.’‘Do you think they like each other??’” 

Yang laughed at her impersonation of Blake while her girlfriend blushed profusely.

“I was _not_ that bad.” 

“Oh _yeah_ you were.You hardly stopped talking about it!” 

“Well...it was like watching a love story unfold right in front of my eyes!” Blake finally replied in defense of herself, raising her hands in distress.“How many people get to experience that firsthand?” 

“Uh...what about _our_ love story?” Yang replied, pointing a finger towards herself.

“Please, we have _literally_ the easiest relationship ever.There’s never any drama,” Blake answered, causing Yang’s jaw to drop in surprise.

“What??Well sorryyyyy about that.Should I start some drama or something?Spice things up?I could start flirting with that girl downstairs who always looks at me weird when we’re picking up the mail.”

Yang sent a subtle wink towards Weiss and Ruby, clearly having no intention of following through on that plan.

“Do that, and I’ll have her evicted for that horrible lizard she’s keeping against the rules,” Blake answered, the vehement response making Yang burst out laughing.

“But...would that be enough drama for you?” she prodded, a little too seriously.

Rolling her eyes, Blake reached over and gave Yang’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Let’s just stick to Ruby and Weiss’ drama, for now.”

“Hey!We don’t have drama anymore!” Ruby whined, but Blake gave them a disbelieving look.

“Please, Weiss is a magnet for it - what with her father still trying to get her to take his place and -”

“She told him to take a hike!”

“I told him...that I would think about it,” Weiss corrected, although she liked Ruby’s version much better.“And I still don’t know what I’ll do.Do I want to work with my father?Or do I want to do something on my own?I don’t know yet -”

“But you don’t have to decide anytime soon,” Ruby quickly added, patting Weiss’ hand lovingly.

Weiss smiled as Ruby’s unwavering support for her once again shone through.There were no words to describe how comforting it was to have someone on her side, no matter what.She hoped that she could provide the same level of support for Ruby, if it was ever needed.

“Right,” Weiss said, taking Ruby’s hand in her own.“Because - as Yang so eloquently put it - I’m ‘still loaded.’”

“I said - ‘loaded as a hot potato,’” Yang reminded her helpfully.

“You’ll do it,” Ruby added confidently.“You’ll be good at it!Plus, you could do some great things being in charge of that company.”

Giving a soft “hmm” and squeezing Ruby’s hand, Weiss knew that Ruby was probably right.But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to make her parents sweat over it a little bit.Plus, if she agreed, it would be on her terms.She was willing to learn from her father, but she wasn’t willing to become him.

Thankfully, with each passing day she felt that side of her fading away - replaced by the sugar-infused sweetness Ruby kept pumping into her life.She felt stronger.She knew what she wanted from life.She had her own dreams and wishes, and the freedom to pursue them.

So yes, maybe she would take over, after all.But it would be with her vision - her goals.And she knew she would have Ruby’s support the entire way.

“Hey, how did you come up with the vows, Blake?” Yang asked, drawing Weiss’ eyes away from Ruby’s loving pools of silver at the sudden question.“Cuz those were great - I loved ‘em.” 

Blake’s eyes flitted in Weiss’ direction before she began to answer. 

“Oh, you know, I just kind of…”

“I gave them to her,” Weiss cut in, not wanting Blake to lie for her sake.The admission caused both Ruby and Yang to look at her in surprise, forcing a blush onto her cheeks. 

“Those were my vows...” Weiss explained in a whisper.“I still had the paper I wrote them on.”

Several seconds of silence passed before Ruby finally said something.

“Aww!!” she gushed, giving Weiss a quick hug and kiss that only intensified her blush.“That’s _so_ cute.I need to reread them!”

When Ruby picked up the stack of pages, Weiss grabbed them from her hand before they could be opened.

“You should’ve read them closely the first time!” she said, hiding the unbound book behind her back while Ruby pouted at her.

“But I was so excited for what was coming next; I flew right by them!” Ruby whined, sticking out her lower lip while Blake and Yang chuckled at the antics.Smiling, Weiss leaned over and kissed Ruby on the cheek, lingering just long enough to take a deep breath of the girl’s rose-scented shampoo. 

She understood what Ruby meant.That part of the story had been particularly challenging to read and relive.She’d also skimmed past it - looking forward to what came next, outside the church walls - their reunitement. 

Ruby could reread the vows later, or Weiss could recite them to her - by now, knowing the words by heart.Better yet, Weiss could write an entire story about how much she loved Ruby - which Ruby could read freely.There were no secrets between the two of them now, especially when it came to how they felt about one another - they’d gone through too much uncertainty to allow that continue. 

“Well, dang,” Yang huffed in disappointment.“I thought Blake wrote them for me!”

“Why would she write vows for you and have Weiss say them?” Ruby asked, wrinkling her brow in confusion.

“Because she’s sneaky like that!”

“There _are_ hidden messages for you, Yang, if you can find them,” Blake replied, a mischievous glint in her amber eyes.

“Wh - really??Where?What were they?”

Blake and Ruby laughed while Yang sputtered in disbelief.

Leaning forward, Weiss set the stack of pages she’d just read on the table separating them, letting the edge drop against the surface with a satisfying thump of finality.

“I love it.”

“Yeah, I do too, Blake.It’s really awesome,” Ruby immediately agreed, squeezing Weiss’ hand once more. 

“Next bestselling author, right here!” Yang shouted, raising her arms and pointing both hands down towards her girlfriend.

Blake, meanwhile, blushed at their endorsement of her work.

“Thanks, you guys…I’m glad you love it.You’re the stars, after all.”

Weiss and Ruby looked at each other - with Ruby wearing a huge grin on her face.Suddenly, an idea popped into those silver eyes - something Weiss had just recently learned how to identify.

“Oh, I _really_ loved all the kissing scenes - _especially_ the first one!” Ruby replied, making a kissy face at Weiss and leaning over as if she might steal one.When Weiss playfully pushed Ruby’s face away, Ruby laughed and held onto Weiss’ hand.

“Yes, those were...intense…” 

At the memory of what she’d just read, Weiss felt her cheeks grow warmer.She’d glossed over their first kiss, but Ruby must’ve given Blake the full details - or, more likely, Yang had pulled the information out of the girl somehow.Because that had been very, _very_ close to what happened - and what it actually felt like.

And Weiss would know - she still remembered that moment vividly.No matter how many kisses they’d shared since then, that particular one never faded away.She even found herself dreaming about it now and again - which she would die before admitting to Ruby.She could only imagine the teasing that would follow that confession…

Glancing at Ruby, Weiss suddenly wondered what other private moments had been spilled to Yang.For some reason, Weiss was still embarrassed by what Yang might know about her, but she really shouldn’t be.Like Yang said, they’d seen more than enough of each other in...compromising positions...while they’d lived in the same space.

And a couple of times after that.

“I liked all the parts I was in!” Yang piped in, and Weiss rolled her eyes at the obvious statement.

“Why don’t you just ask Blake to write a book about you guys?” she suggested for the one-millionth time.Yang had been particularly jealous the last few months while her girlfriend worked on Weiss and Ruby’s story.

“I told you, she won’t do it!”

“I _would_ do it,” Blake corrected.“But I would tone it down. _A lot_.And then you’d complain.”

“Why fight the fire??” Yang immediately wailed, proving Blake’s point.

“Why _write_ about fire when you can start one?”

Weiss flushed at the way Blake lowered her voice and practically purred the question - the two girls continuing to toe the line on what was and was not socially acceptable to say in front of one’s younger sister.But the words had their intended effect, instantly ceasing any and all complaints from Yang - likely for good.

“And now I have something to read Weiss when she gets all old and forgets who I am!” Ruby added with a grin.

“Please, you’re the one who’s going to use it like an encyclopedia,” Yang replied, leaning forward once again to make fun of her little sister.“Weiss is gonna to be like ‘remember when…’ and you’re gonna pull out a little pocket version to look up what she’s talking about.”

“Will not!” Ruby shot back.“ _You’re_ the one with the bad memory - you would’ve forgotten Blake’s birthday if I hadn’t reminded you!”

As soon as the words slipped out, Ruby clasped a hand over her mouth while Yang glared at her for spilling a...really not _that_ terrible...secret. 

But Blake turned slowly in her chair towards her girlfriend, who was doing her best to appear innocent.

“What’s that now?”

With a soft chuckle, Weiss sat back and listened while the three began to tease each other mercilessly - knowing that she would be pulled into the fray eventually.

It was still surreal to her - having these people in her life.People to tease, to care, for, to love - who felt the same way for her in return.And it was unconditional - the way they loved her.Whether she was running some goliath company or spending all day at home baking cookies for Ruby…it made little difference to them.

They just wanted her to be happy.

And she loved them even more for that.

Turning her gaze back to Ruby, she found the brunette laughing while making fun of her older sister - her face lighting up with the very same smile that had captivated Weiss from the second they’d first met, silver eyes sparkling with unbridled happiness.

Just half a year ago, she never could’ve imagined that this could be her life - one without butlers, limousines, or mansions, but one filled with joy, friendship, love...all made possible by the goofy, fun-loving girl sitting beside her.

Ruby Rose...

The one Weiss had stumbled into by sheer chance on that cold, winter day.The one who’d stolen her heart by showing her what love could truly mean.

The one who’d refused to let her blindly follow the path she’d thought was set in stone.The one she would give up everything for.

And, as the small diamond ring tucked safely in her pocket constantly reminded her, the one she would marry.

The story Blake had written may have ended...but their happily ever after had just begun.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to this story after so many years. Thank you for reading it again, if you did!
> 
> When I went through the story to post this version, I knew I had to write another epilogue. I needed to show where they were after some time passed and the events leading to their relationship faded into the past. I hope you enjoy it, as I really enjoyed writing it. I hope you feel, like I do, that their happy ending only got happier.

Approaching the lobby of her father’s office - on the top floor of the towering Schnee Industrial building downtown - Weiss heard yelling before she even opened the door. 

At one point in time, the sound terrified her.She used to hide in her room to escape his wrath, only re-emerging when she was sure he’d left the house.When angry, he was a man to be feared and avoided at all costs lest she be caught in the crosshairs. 

These days, she quickened her pace - her feet leading her directly into the storm.

As soon as she pushed open the door and stepped into the wide lobby, she looked through the glass walls of her father’s office and found him berating one of their lead shipment managers.

“What’s going on?” Weiss asked the young woman sitting behind the reception desk.

“I’m not sure…” the woman replied, her brow furrowing in deep thought while struggling to come up with an answer.“I think it has something to do with Mistral…”

When that was all the information the woman could provide, Weiss shook her head and sighed.For as much as her father stressed productivity and intelligence, his assistants were mind-numbingly dumb and incompetent.Weiss couldn’t even remember this one’s name - was it Erica?Jamie?They rotated so quickly sometimes, it was hard to keep track.

“Feel free to head home now,” Weiss said, adding a pointed look that made it clear the words were an instruction, not a suggestion.

Surprisingly, her father’s assistant-of-the-week understood the subtle cue and hastily packed up while Weiss strode over to the office door. 

Fortunately, she didn’t need more information to figure out what was going on.A hurricane passed through Mistral several days ago and damaged the ports - meaning that any boats trying to get in or out were stuck for the time being.Seeing as how they had a significant shipment that was supposed to arrive tomorrow, from Mistral, she understood the source of her father’s current anger.

Without permission, she opened the door and strode into the office - having no fear of retribution.

“ - utter incompetence!” her father yelled while their lead manager - an otherwise competent man named Alexander - sweat bullets as he stood rooted to the floor.“Get that shipment here tomorrow, or you’re fired!”

“But Sir, I’ve done everything I can.The hurricane -”

“Does it _look_ like I care about some natural disaster?” Fredrick Schnee replied, his voice low and angry.“We have thirty companies waiting for that product to get here tomorrow.Every day it’s late, we lose _millions_ of Lien.Can you even _comprehend_ that number?”

Hearing the typical response, Weiss very nearly rolled her eyes.

Apparently, if she was to learn one thing from her father, it was that anger solved everything.Shipment was late?Get angry.Someone made a mistake?Get angry.Lunch order was wrong?Get angry.

Maybe that’s how his world worked, but she operated under a different philosophy.

“I think I have a solution,” she interrupted, drawing two sets of eyes her way.

“Great.My daughter can solve this problem in three seconds, while you come in here complaining about how _hard_ it is,” her father berated the man.“What are we paying you for?You’re fired.Get out of my sight.”

Before Alexander could leave, Weiss caught his eye and shook her head.

“Take tomorrow off.I’ll see you on Monday,” she said, giving him a reassuring smile as he visibly relaxed and rushed out of the room - the door nearly shutting on his heels in his haste.

“You’re too soft on them,” her father immediately griped.“It’s a weakness.They’ll take advantage of you.”

“Alexander is a good manager.It’s not his fault he can’t control the weather.”

Walking across the office and pulling out her phone, Weiss ignored the scowl on her father’s face.He could scowl all he wanted - it made no difference to her.Instead, she scrolled through a list of contacts, found one reserved just for times like these, and pressed the call button.

The phone rang twice before someone picked up the other end of the line.

“I’m hoping this is the lovely Schnee,” the voice said.“And not the elder.”

“Hello, Raphael,” Weiss replied, smiling at the greeting.“It is.”

Frustrated, her father threw his arms in the air and walked away, while she shook her head at his childlike tactics.

“Miss Schnee,” Raphael said in a much warmer tone.“To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m sorry to call last minute, but l have a job that requires your...expertise.We have a shipment stuck in Mistral that we need in Vale tomorrow.I’m under the impression that you can handle the impossible?”

Hearing jovial laughter through the phone, Weiss smiled - knowing that their solution had been found.

“Miss Schnee, I can get a ship from anywhere, to anywhere,” the man replied.“It will be quite costly though...”

“That’s not a problem.I’ll send you the details right now.”

“Always a pleasure doing business with you, Miss.” 

“You too.I’ll see you tomorrow.”

After ending the call, she sent a quick message with the details and then put away the phone.With one problem taken care of, the next whirled back on her in anger.

“You realize you’re now in his debt,” her father said, clenching his jaw in irritation.

“Which I’ll willingly be.He’s doing us a favor.”

“He’s doing his _job_ ,” her father snarled.“And you should’ve let our damn employee do _his_ job.”

This time, Weiss did roll her eyes.Her father was so prone to anger, it was almost laughable.His first response in any situation was to be angry, demanding, or cross.These traits made him the worst type of boss to work for, and their employees lived in fear of making a tiny slip up that would cost them their job. 

Weiss, however, was in a unique position.She didn’t need to be here - he was the one who needed her here.Before she even agreed to set foot in the building, very explicit rules were established.He came close to breaking them - always toeing the line as he railed against restrictions placed upon _him_ , of all people - but he’d yet to step across.

One of those rules was that he would _never_ treat her the way he did his employees. 

The other was that she would always be free to speak her mind.

“Raphael is the only option before calling the government,” she pointed out.“On his own, Alexander would have failed, and the shipment wouldn’t get here tomorrow.The clients would be upset, you’d fire Alexander, and no one would get what they wanted - is that preferable?”

Helping employees grow and empowering them to find solutions on their own was good management, but setting someone up for failure was just cruel.

“The decision has already made,” she added.“It’s done.”

She wanted to add ‘get over it,’ but knew that would only set him off on another tirade.

“That’s a horrible business decision,” he replied, his scowl giving away only a fraction of his dislike for their solution.“You put yourself at a severe negotiating disadvantage should they ever need anything.” 

“We’ll deal with that if the time ever comes.”

Weiss had quickly learned her father’s business style, and, as expected, he was ruthless.It didn’t matter who he was speaking to; he used the same heavy-handed approach with everyone.Obviously, he’d found success with his methods, but he’d formed few allies in the process.Instead, companies acquiesced because of the Schnee name and power - not because they wanted to do business with him.

She hoped to change that.After spending much of her life in forced isolation – where she was at the top of an ivory tower, and everyone else was to be looked down upon – she’d recently discovered the strength of having supporters.

Sure, business was more merciless than personal life, but there were similarities.Ironically, the years she’d spent under her mother’s thumb helped her spot and deal with manipulation attempted by executives and employees alike.She could be no-nonsense if the situation called for it, but she just wanted everyone to work hard and succeed.The more success the company had, the more significant changes they could make both in Vale and in society - helping shape the future for the better.

Of course, her father felt differently, but he wasn’t going to be in charge forever.And he seemed to understand the position he was in - as he clenched his jaw and glowered before finally sitting down at his desk.

“You’ll probably be the death of this company,” he grumbled under his breath, picking up a pen and looking over a stack of forms.

Having heard the same insult many times over the past few years, Weiss simply shook her head and let it go.His claim was factually incorrect, and he knew it.As she took over more responsibilities, the company ran better than ever.This likely had to do with productivity and morale soaring under her watch as she pushed her father further and further from any decisions that affected quality of life for their employees. 

But it wasn’t just the employees who were happier and working harder – Vale Industrial now had better relations with the companies they frequently did business with.Negotiating was easier, terms were better, and - more often now than ever before - executives at these outside companies requested to deal with her rather than her father.

The two of them had an interesting relationship now - nothing like what she would’ve imagined as a child.Working together was extremely difficult at first.He did his best to mold her into a young version of himself, but she steadfastly refused.Instead, she listened to his lessons, decided what was worthwhile, and discarded the rest. 

She’d sworn that she would never become her father, and she wasn’t.All thanks to a certain someone who kept her grounded...

As Ruby popped into her mind, Weiss glanced at the clock and found it was time to take her leave.

“I’m heading home,” she said, turning to the door as he let out a huff from behind her.

“So early?”

It wasn’t early at all, and the response was meant to be a slight at her ‘lack of dedication.’He did this to everyone who worked here, but it always frustrated her.The day was over, and she had far better places to be.

“Yes,” she answered, sending him a look.“It’s funny how that happens when you have a wife you actually _want_ to go home to.”

Spinning on her heel to leave, her hand was already on the door handle when he spoke again.

“Your mother and I are separating.”

The disclosure stopped her in her tracks.Turning back to the office, she found her father signing forms as if it wasn’t earth-shattering news.

“What?” she asked, unsure if she’d heard him correctly.Because that couldn’t be right.Her mother had sold her soul for the Schnee name.

“As soon as the merger ends, she will file for divorce,” he replied, still not looking up from his work.“l would appreciate your discretion until that time.”

So many questions flitted through her mind as Weiss stood there, shell-shocked by the news.

“Of course,” she replied, looking at him while he refused to meet her eyes.What was she supposed to say at this moment?She’d never in a million years expected her parents to separate - what was someone supposed to say upon receiving this news? 

“I’m sorry?”

“Save your sympathy for someone who needs it,” he replied, finally setting down his pen and looking at her.“And I certainly have no need for it.”

“Right.I’ll...see you tomorrow then.”

When he waved her out, she left the office in a hurry. 

She was dumbfounded - in complete disbelief.She had no idea what was happening at home since she’d left, but apparently her father finally stepped too far.Apparently, her mother finally had enough.But to divorce?It would be front page news, and the divorce proceedings were guaranteed to be contentious.

Stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the parking garage, she let out a long breath of air as the doors slid shut in front of her.

She didn’t feel sorry for her father - he was getting what he deserved for being a horrible husband - but she was almost...sad...that he had no one else to share the news with.As much as he pretended otherwise, getting divorced was a big deal.But he had no friends, and no one to trust, besides Weiss.And she couldn’t even say she liked him very much.

Fredrick Schnee...all the money and power in the world, yet no one to talk to about his impending separation.No one cared how he felt about the failure of his marriage.Most would probably be happy to hear of his misfortune.

As soon as she walked into the parking garage, she spotted a familiar face nearby - standing outside a familiar limousine. 

Altering her course, she headed over to the man with a smile.

“Good evening, James,” she said, dipping her head in greeting.

“Good evening, Miss.”When he tilted his head in respect, Weiss scoffed and waved one hand.

“You don’t need to call me ‘Miss’ anymore.Please call me Weiss.”

“Sorry,” he replied, relaxing into a smile.“Some habits are hard to break.You’ve been the ‘Little Miss’ ever since I started working for your family.”

Weiss smiled at the term, which sounded quite endearing. 

“You might be waiting for my father for a while,” she said, glancing towards the building.“He’s...stewing.”

“That’s alright.I’m used to waiting while he ‘stews.’”When James let out a laugh at the choice of words, Weiss shook her head and smiled.

“Have you ever thought of doing anything else?” she asked.“Because if you’re ever interested in changing careers, I’m sure we could -”She waved towards the towering Schnee corporate headquarters, but James shook his head.

“Believe it or not, I like this job.” 

“Do you?” she replied, hearing a fair amount of surprise in her voice.

“Of course.Flexible hours, lots of downtime, good pay, plus the chance to hear how the other half lives.” 

When James smiled at her, Weiss chuckled. 

“I can only imagine the things you’ve heard...”

“All good things,” he replied with a wink.“At least, that’s the company line.”

Laughing again, Weiss was about to leave but something stopped her.Instead, she paused and turned back to James - who had always been a somewhat-impartial observer of her parents’ lives.

“My father mentioned that things are going to change soon.Are you aware of that?”

She didn’t want to say the word out loud, but James nodded – understanding what she was referring to.

“How’s my mother doing?” she asked, watching his brow furrow as he thought through an answer.

“She’s...more talkative.” 

Weiss huffed at that response.“That’s probably a horrible thing.”

“It can be.”He paused again, thinking carefully about his words before saying them.“In some ways, I think she’s going through a process similar to your own - but it’s been delayed for so long that it can be a little...up and down.” 

“Is that the diplomatic way of saying she’s a terror?”

“She’s a mess,” James admitted, meeting Weiss’ eyes.“But I think this will be better for both of them, in the end.”

Trying to imagine her mother as anything other than cold, calculating, and emotionless, Weiss found she couldn’t do it.But with James’ position - a fly on the wall until they needed him - Weiss knew he saw sides of her parents that no one else would ever see.

“You realize they’re going to fight over who gets to keep you,” Weiss remarked, smiling when he burst into laughter.

“In that case, maybe I do need a new job.You wouldn’t be in need of a personal driver, would you?”

Chuckling, Weiss pulled her keys out of her bag and held them up for him to see. 

“Sorry, but I quite like driving myself.”

“That’s too bad.I enjoyed chauffeuring you and your wonderful lady around.”

Thinking about Ruby, Weiss instantly smiled - and decided it was past time for her to go home.

“Maybe for special events,” she offered while turning away.“I’m sure she’d be happy to see you, too.”

“I look forward to it.Have a good evening, Mis-”When Weiss raised an eyebrow at the word, James caught himself and smiled.“Have a good evening, Weiss,” he said instead.“Please give Ruby my best.”

“I will.”With one last wave, Weiss left the man behind and walked over to her car, which was parked a few spaces down.After opening her own door, she stepped inside and prepared for the short drive home.

As far as she was concerned, driving herself home was a luxury.She didn’t have to arrange a chauffeur ahead of time; she didn’t have anyone eavesdropping on her conversations.She could listen to whatever she wanted - and sing whatever she wanted - without judgment.The feeling was quite liberating, and something she wouldn’t give up anytime soon.

Ordinarily, she used the drive to go through her day - analyzing what was accomplished and what needed to be done in the future.In this way, she compartmentalized her work and tucked it away before she got home.

Today, however, her mind dwelled upon the news her father had shared - thinking about what it meant for herself as well as her parents.Her mother had finally inherited her family’s company, and it was in the midst of merging with Schnee Industrial.Yet she was waiting for the merger to finish before filing for divorce?Why not file now and keep the company for herself? 

Could it be…she felt that the merger was the last thing she owed her husband?And after that, she could be free?

Spotting a white, two-story home at the end of the block, Weiss pushed those thoughts from her mind in favor of pulling into the short drive with a sigh of relief.As much as she liked her job - since she accomplished some amazing things while at work - nothing beat coming home at the end of the day.

The three-bedroom house was nothing spectacular, yet it was Weiss’ favorite spot in the entire world.Perfectly sized, with room to grow.An adorable front yard with a row of roses planted under the front windows, while the backyard was fenced with plenty of space for hosting get-togethers or - as Ruby so often did - just running around.

Leaving the car behind, Weiss walked to the front door and let herself inside.As soon as she stepped through the doorway, she dropped her bag on the table by the door and glanced into the living room – where they spent most of their free time together.Finding it empty, she walked over to the staircase and looked up to the second level.

“Ruby?” she called out.“I’m home.”

The next second, the sound of feet tore across the upper level before Ruby appeared on the landing with Zwei racing along behind her.

“Hey Weiss!”With a big grin, Ruby hopped onto the railing and slid down to the first floor while Zwei ran down the stairs beside her.Shaking her head, Weiss stepped out of the way so Ruby wouldn’t crash into her on the way down.Upon reaching the bottom, Ruby hopped off the banister and landed with a smile.

“I missed you!” Ruby said, immediately leaning forward and giving Weiss the kiss she’d longed for all day. 

“I missed you, too,” she mumbled in return, breathing out another sigh before feeling a tiny paw on her ankle.After glancing down, she knelt on the floor to pet Zwei. 

“And hello Zwei - it’s nice to have you around for a while,” she said, scratching his ears and smiling at his happy-go-lucky grin.When he was sufficiently greeted, she stood and caught Ruby’s eyes.

“How was work?”

“Good!It’s weird without Yang around, but I managed.”

“Was it busy?”Stepping closer, Weiss reached out to hold Ruby’s hands, wanting contact in any form possible even as they carried on a normal conversation.

“Yeah, kind of.Oh!The cutest little girl came in though.”After pausing for a second to let out an adorable shake of happiness, Ruby rushed forward with a giant smile.“She wanted the _biggest_ stuffed animal in the store, but her dad couldn’t afford it.So you know what I did?”

When Ruby looked at her, Weiss shook her head.

“What did you do?” she obligingly asked, knowing that’s what Ruby wanted her to do.

“I took that giant bear into the back and used my super-secret shrink ray to shrink him into a little tiny bear!” Ruby answered, smiling at the ingenious solution.“Her dad could afford the little bear, and she was soooo happy to get the huge-tiny stuffed animal.” 

“You’re so smart,” Weiss replied, leaning forward and kissing Ruby on the lips.

After graduating from college, Ruby had decided to go into business - with her sister, of all people.With a great deal of amusement, Weiss watched the two sisters go through hundreds, if not thousands, of ideas before landing on one that became a reality.

And thus, Ruby’s Toy Box was born (Yang lost the coin flip to decide the name).

The dynamic duo was doing very well, but Weiss wouldn’t have expected otherwise.With their combined high energy and excellence with children, their shop had quickly become something of a destination in Vale.

“Naww…” Ruby replied with a modest wave.“Just doin’ my job!”

“Well, you’re very good at your job.”Tugging Ruby closer, Weiss stole another kiss before looking into Ruby’s eyes.“I’m proud of you.”

While Ruby beamed at the praise, Weiss leaned forward for another kiss - this one lasting much longer than the last.Snaking an arm behind Ruby’s back, Weiss stepped closer - their bodies pressed together as her skin tingled with desire.

No matter what happened over the course of the day, Ruby could wash it all away with just a few kisses.

“What would you like to do now?” Weiss mumbled against Ruby’s lips, sliding her hands underneath Ruby’s shirt.But, before she got anywhere, Ruby backed away with a giggle.

“We have to take Zwei for a walk!”

“Are you...serious?” Weiss asked as a surge of consternation flowed through her, throwing cold water on her desire.

When Ruby nodded, Weiss sighed and looked down at the dog - who was watching them with a happy grin on his face.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” she told him, releasing Ruby and watching her buzz across the room.

“Just so I understand,” Weiss said as Ruby returned and clipped a leash to Zwei’s collar.“Am I _completely_ shut out as long as he’s here?”

“Well we can’t do it right in front of him!”

There were _so_ many things Weiss wanted to say to that comment.Instead, she shut her mouth and nodded.

“Of course,” she replied, knowing that was the right answer.“Of course, you’re right.”

“Plus, we still have to go for _our_ walk!”

“Can I at least change first?” Weiss asked, watching Ruby open the door and run outside with Zwei.

“Sure!We’ll wait for you out here!”

Shaking her head at Ruby’s enthusiasm, Weiss hurried upstairs to change out of her work clothes and into something more comfortable and appropriate for an evening stroll.The two of them took a walk together every night - a routine that started soon after they began dating.They used the alone time to talk without interruptions, finding a wide array of topics to cover.

They were watching Zwei while Blake and Yang were out of town, but that didn’t change their routine in the slightest.Their evening stroll would still happen, but with Zwei in tow.It was the perfect way to decompress after the day.

After throwing on the first outfit that looked decently coordinated, Weiss rushed downstairs.She was nearly out the door when she did an abrupt about-face to grab her keys from her bag – knowing that Ruby was prone to forgetting those.Satisfied that she was ready, she locked and closed the front door behind her as she jogged over to Ruby. 

“Ready,” she said, feeling a shiver of anticipation run down her spine when Ruby’s eyes roved over her outfit.The glance lasted only a few seconds before Ruby grinned - a happy, loving grin that put a smile right back on Weiss’ lips.

“You look fantastic.”

The compliment was unneeded but much appreciated.And still, after all these years, Weiss blushed and temporarily averted her gaze.

“Thank you…” she muttered towards the street, watching a black town car drive past.The vehicle jogged her memory and reminded her of the message she promised to deliver.

“I saw James today,” she said while leading Ruby down their front walkway and turning right at the sidewalk.“He sends his best.”

“Aww did he really?Well, I send my best right back!Although... _you’re_ my best so...maybe I’ll send my second best back...”

Chuckling at the response, Weiss shook her head and reached out to hold Ruby’s free hand.

“I’ll make sure to tell him that the next time I see him.”

“But make it sound better!” Ruby requested.“Make it sound all...Weiss-y.”

“‘Weiss-y’?”

“Yeah!Weiss-y things are super composed and amazing.Just like - well, you.”

Feeling her heart thump in adoration at the comment, Weiss squeezed Ruby’s hand as they crossed the street and walked into the next neighborhood.The fact that Ruby still thought she was amazing meant more than the world to her.It didn’t matter how good she was at her job, or how much she was praised for her hard work - being the one Ruby loved was more than enough for her.Everything else was just...an added bonus.

“I’ll do my best,” she answered, knowing that she would provide a ‘Weiss-y’ answer no matter what.That was just how she spoke.

“So how was your day?” Ruby asked after a couple of seconds of comfortable silence.

“Good.Busy, but good.”Moving closer to Ruby so a jogger could pass them on the sidewalk, Weiss’ mind drifted to the bombshell her father dropped right before she left the office.“My father had some...unexpectedly big news for me today.”

“Yeah?What was it?”

Taking a deep breath, Weiss shook her head and decided to get it out in the open.

“My parents are getting divorced.”

“Uh...what?” was Ruby’s first response as she looked at Weiss in shock.“Really??”

“Yup.”Nodding once, Weiss paused at the next crosswalk and let out a big sigh.

“How do you feel about it?I mean, that’s a big deal, right?” 

“It’s a huge deal,” Weiss replied.“And honestly...I don’t know how I feel.I can’t believe she would actually divorce him.Not after all this time.”

“Maybe you should call her!”

Surprised by the suggestion, Weiss turned to the side and found that Ruby was serious.

“Why would I do that?”

“l dunno...see how she’s doing?If you were divorcing me…” Words trailing off, Ruby frowned and shook her head.“I’d need someone to talk to…”

“That will _never_ happen,” Weiss remarked, gently tugging Ruby forward so they could resume their walk.“As for my mother…”

Drifting into silence, Weiss thought about the suggestion for a long time before sighing out loud.

“Are you trying to make me a better person again?” she grumbled, to which Ruby giggled and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

“You’re already a great person!I just thought maybe you’d want to check in or something.”

Did Weiss want to see how her mother was doing?Yes and no.The woman had put her through hell – and something like that takes time to heal from.But she also knew her mother was in the same position as her father - her ‘friends’ weren’t friends at all.They were gossip mongers looking for the next bit of drama.

“Besides!” Ruby added.“You’re her daughter.I’m sure she misses you.”

Weiss wasn’t so sure that comment was correct, but she squeezed Ruby’s hand in gratitude. 

She understood what Ruby was saying without really saying it.As much as Weiss’ parents had made her life miserable, they were still her parents.Much to their chagrin - and her own - they’d shaped her into the person she was today.In a fragile world, where lives were often lost too early, it was best not to carry a grudge for long.

“I’ll think about it,” Weiss said - the most she was willing to acquiesce for now.

“And if she’s still mean, at least you tried!” Ruby concluded with a smile. 

To Ruby, it was that simple.If someone was nice, befriend them.If someone was mean...still try to befriend them and give multiple chances if need be.

Maybe things had changed, but Weiss wouldn’t know since she hadn’t spoken to her mother in years.The only time they’d seen each other was at the wedding – and the woman had only received an invitation under strict instructions not to make a scene.Much to Weiss’ surprise, the woman showed up and was well-behaved - she arrived quietly, sat quietly, and left quietly.She even sent them a nice wedding gift.

Besides those instances, there’d been no attempt at communication.It was probably better that way.Weiss was happy, and her mother was...still unhappy, apparently. 

“Want to get some ice cream?” she asked, waving towards the shopping center across the street, where one of Ruby’s favorite ice cream parlors was located.

“Is that even a question??”

“Ah, silly me,” Weiss replied with a chuckle.“Of course not - let’s go get some ice cream.”

Laughing as they cut across the street, Weiss waited for Ruby to tie Zwei outside before opening the door and walking into every sugar-lover’s wonderland.

“You know, ice cream is made with milk,” Ruby commented as they approached the counter.“And milk is good for you.So...ice cream must be good for you too!”

“Uh huh…”Shaking her head at the line of reasoning, Weiss waved at the store owner as he came over to make Ruby’s ice cream.“What about all the sugar they put into it?”

“Sugar’s like salt!It adds flavor!”

The answer made a small amount of sense...in Ruby’s world.

“What can I get for you?” the shopkeeper said, looking first to Weiss - who shook her head and waved him off - before turning to Ruby.“The usual?”

“Actually...think you can make the usual into a milkshake??” Ruby asked, her eyes already sparkling with delight at the idea.“Then I can have it to go!”

The man only laughed and nodded in appreciation of the order before scooping ice cream into a large, metal cup.

“This way you don’t have to wait for me!” Ruby explained, tearing her eyes away from the ice cream to smile at Weiss.

“I don’t mind waiting.” 

Well, _most_ of the time she didn’t mind waiting.Sometimes, she felt like they should hurry it along just a _little_ bit…

“But now we can do more walking!”Making a happy noise, Ruby accepted the tall, styrofoam cup as it was passed across the counter to her.Both Weiss and the shop owner watched as she took a long sip before doing a delighted wiggle and giving them a thumbs up.

Knowing that Ruby was happy made Weiss happy in an instant, and she stepped over to the register while smiling at the goofy girl she was lucky to call her wife.

“Glad you like it,” the man said while swiping Weiss’ card and handing it back to her - no receipt required, as she’d told him quite a few visits ago.“You ladies have a wonderful night.”

“You as well,” Weiss replied, nodding towards the door so they could take their leave.

“You too!” Ruby called back, sending a wave before taking another sip of her milkshake.“Goddd, Weiss, this is so freaking good!You have to try some!”

As they stepped back outside, Weiss obligingly took the cup from Ruby - knowing there was no way to avoid trying it at least once.While Ruby untied Zwei from the bench outside the door, Weiss lifted the straw to her lips and took a tiny sip.As expected, the milkshake was almost sickeningly sweet.

“What do you think?”

“It’s...well-seasoned,” Weiss answered, handing the cup back to Ruby as they continued their walk through the shopping center.Laughing, Ruby took a long sip and made another happy noise.

“So good though!”

Prepared to make a joke about how salty their dinner would be tonight, Weiss paused when she spotted a familiar crew cut up ahead.The color and hairstyle were exactly the same as...

When the boy turned to the side and immediately caught her gaze, she nearly groaned out loud. 

When he headed towards them, she _did_ groan out loud.

“Incoming,” she warned, giving a miniscule nod in his direction as he cut through a group of high schoolers.

“Is that -” Ruby started to ask, but the question never finished as he stopped in front of them and smiled - that same, self-righteous smile he’d always had.Only, it was a little different than before...

“Cardin?” Weiss asked, surprised that he’d made any effort to talk to them.

“Hey Weiss,” he said, dipping his head to her in respect before turning to Ruby.“What’s up, Ruby?”

Surprised by the greeting, Ruby took a step back and narrowed her eyes.

“l should let you know,” she said, lowering her voice in warning.“Zwei might look small, but he’s actually a highly-trained attack dog.”

“Really?Cool!”Kneeling down, Cardin stuck his hand towards Zwei.“Bite me, little guy.” 

Without a single menacing bone in his body, Zwei licked Cardin’s hand, and Cardin laughed as he scratched behind Zwei’s ears. 

Watching the moment unfold, Weiss and Ruby shared a look of bewilderment.

“Uh...”

Everything about the greeting was so wrong, Weiss didn’t know what else to say.He greeted Ruby by name?He didn’t make some inappropriate comment? 

Fortunately, her manners appeared after he gave Zwei one last scratch and stood up - towering over both of them with his imposing height.

“Hi Cardin,” Weiss finally said, her heart beating faster as she tried to figure out why he was being nice - and what ploy he might be working towards.“How have you been?”

She didn’t necessarily want to be friendly, but what other choice did she have now that he’d engaged them for a conversation?Fortunately, Ruby gripped her hand tighter, and she relaxed - knowing that she wasn’t alone.She had support right here beside her. 

“I’ve been pretty great, actually.”When Cardin grinned, Weiss braced herself for the grotesque comments about female conquests to follow.“I’m still modeling,” he added with a small nod.“Signed with a few more brands recently.”

Not exactly what she’d expected...but she carried on the conversation without letting him see her surprise.

“We’ve seen some the ads,” she replied, waving towards Ruby - who nodded once.“That’s great to hear though.I’m glad it’s going well.”

“Thanks.It’s nice to have something to call my own.”As Cardin’s eyes drifted to Ruby, his grin widened.“But you probably get what I mean.”

As much as Weiss eschewed having anything in common with Cardin, she _did_ understand what he meant.

Growing up, they were given everything.Every opportunity was tilted in their favor.Every success was tinged with bias.Then...Weiss met Ruby.And somehow, she’d _earned_ Ruby’s love - not because of who her family was, but because of who _she_ was.Ruby was Weiss’ greatest success - and she was so lucky that she could call Ruby hers.Her best friend.Her wife.

When Weiss opened her mouth to respond with some type of agreement, she was cut off by someone shouting “Cardin!” their way.

Cardin immediately looked over his shoulder - where a tall, slender woman was waving him over.With her impeccable fashion sense, designer sunglasses, heels, and incredible height, the woman must be a supermodel.Several department store bags sat near her feet, but it looked like she had no intention of picking them up herself.

“l should get going,” Cardin said, turning around with another grin - this one much less smug than before.“She’s not very patient.”

Glancing over his shoulder again, Weiss struggled to find words to say.Cardin must have sensed her confusion because he laughed.

“That’s my fiancée,” he explained.“Just got engaged a couple weeks ago.”

“Oh.Well, congratulations.”Weiss looked at the woman one more time - finding her on her phone talking to someone, waving one perfectly-manicured hand through the air while speaking.

That was Cardin’s new fiancée?Everything about the woman screamed control - that she was used to having it, and unwilling to cede it to anyone.While that wasn’t a problematic trait in itself, Weiss could think of one person who would take issue with that type of behavior.

“What does your mother think?” she asked, growing even more confused when Cardin laughed again.

“Mom hates her.”Shaking his head, he smiled - almost fondly - at the woman.“And she couldn’t care less.”

Finished with her call, the woman heaved a heavy sigh and put one hand on her hip.

“Cardin.”

The impatient tone spurred him into motion.

“Yeah, gotta go,” he said, nearly reaching out to hug Weiss before stopping and looking at Ruby.“Uh, is it cool?” 

Ruby was utterly miffed but nodded.With permission granted, Cardin turned to Weiss and raised his arms, requesting a hug.She’d never given him a hug in her life - and had no idea why he wanted to now - but she allowed him to wrap her in a hug (while Ruby held her hand the entire time).

“Great seeing you,” he said, giving Weiss one last smile before hurrying back to his fiancée.The woman waved to Weiss and Ruby before pointing to her bags, which Cardin willingly picked up before following her towards a waiting limousine.

“Ruby...” Weiss said, watching in shock as Cardin opened the door for his fiancée, then loaded the bags into the trunk of the vehicle himself.“Do you remember how we woke up this morning and talked about calling in sick to work?”

“Uh...yup...”

“We didn’t go back to sleep, did we?Because I must be dreaming.” 

Ruby’s giggle broke Weiss out of her daze, and she turned to find Ruby shaking her head.

“l actually kinda liked him!” Ruby remarked with a baffled laugh.“l mean, I’ll always hate him, but he’s like a little puppy following that lady around!”

Watching the limousine drive away, Weiss shook her head in disbelief.Ruby was right though - Cardin looked like a puppy following its owner. 

Whoever that woman was, she had him wrapped around her finger _tight_.

“Wow.Good for her.”

Giggling at the response, Ruby took Weiss’ hand and pulled them back in the direction they’d come from.Even as they left the shopping center behind, Weiss’ thoughts dwelled on the interaction.

“That was...surreal…” she finally said out loud, finding that was the best summary for what they’d just experienced.

“l guess so!”Her feet doing a little skip on the sidewalk, Ruby sipped at her milkshake and lightly swung their joined hands.

“He was different, right?” Weiss mused, thinking back on the person she’d just met for the first time.“That wasn’t the same Cardin Winchester.”

Hearing a laugh, Weiss looked over and found Ruby shaking her head.

“None of us are the same, Weiss!It’s been a few years now - that’s plenty of time for everyone to grow up and stuff.”

Turning her attention back to her milkshake, Ruby thought nothing more on the words.Weiss, however, mulled them over in her head several times.

It _had_ been several years, and, she knew she’d significantly changed since her engagement to Cardin ended.The person she was today was only a fraction of who she’d been at that time.Ruby had also changed - blossoming into this lively, remarkable young woman who everyone loved to be around.

If the two of them had changed, why was it so difficult to believe that others might have, as well?

“I guess we have…‘grown up and stuff,’” Weiss concluded, squeezing Ruby’s hand as they crossed the street and headed home.

Sometimes, it was difficult to believe this was her life.No more limousines, no more chauffeurs, no more mansions.Instead, she drove herself to work, drove herself home, and went on a walk every evening with the love of her life - strolling along tree-lined streets in a quaint, quiet neighborhood in Vale.

She’d had everything growing up, but was never happy.Now, she had very few things - a simple life through-and-through - yet she was the happiest she’d ever been.

After walking up the path to their front door, Weiss watched Ruby pat at her pockets only to discover she had no keys.Shaking her head and laughing, Weiss pulled out her own keys and unlocked the door to let them inside.With a sheepish grin, Ruby headed through the doorway and set her cup on the entryway table with a conspicuously-light thump.

“Did you finish that entire thing?” Weiss asked, gesturing towards the cup as Ruby unclipped Zwei from his leash.

“Uh...yeah?”

Continually amazed by Ruby’s ability to consume sugar at lightning speeds, Weiss merely shook her head and knelt down to pet Zwei.

“When do Blake and Yang get back again?” she asked, using both hands to scratch his ears and smiling when his hind leg began to move on its own.

“Next week.Why?”

“Because I like having Zwei around, don’t you?”Picking the little dog up, Weiss stood and held him up so Ruby could see how cute he was.“Kind of don’t want him to leave.”

Leaning forward, Ruby touched her nose to Zwei’s and laughed when he licked her.

“Good luck with that.Pretty sure Blake would murder someone to get him back.”

“And she’s ‘not a dog person,’” Weiss muttered with a roll of her eyes.Setting Zwei down, she watched him run into the kitchen for a drink of water.Hearing the sound of him drinking from the bowl they’d set up for him, Weiss smiled as an idea popped into her head - a gift of sorts she’d considered giving Ruby for quite a while.

Maybe now was the time to finally bring it up.

“Ruby,” she began, turning away from the kitchen and meeting Ruby’s silver gaze.“What do you think about...expanding our family?” 

Ruby froze at the words - then her jaw dropped open as her eyes widened in surprise.

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Looking at Zwei as he ran back out to them, Weiss smiled and nodded.

“Would you like to get a puppy?”

Ruby’s squeal of delight was definitely worthy of spilling the surprise early.

“Yes!Of course I want a puppy!!” Ruby exclaimed, racing over and kissing Weiss on the lips.“You don’t think it’s like...too early or anything?”

“What?Of course not.We’ve been living together for years.Our jobs and lives finally seem stable - so why not?”

For a while, Ruby stared in shock - and then she kissed Weiss again.

“I agree!I think we’re totally ready!” 

Weiss laughed at the response while girl bounced away in excitement.She already had one puppy - she was pretty sure she could handle another.

“I can take him to work with me!And on runs!And I’ll teach him all the cool tricks!”Leaning down, Ruby patted Zwei’s head.“What do you think, Zwei - you want a brother?Or sister?”

When Zwei barked and wagged his tail, Ruby stood up and beamed. 

“It’s like we’re starting a family!” she said, hugging Weiss one more time while her cheeks flushed at the comment. 

“You’ll make a fantastic mom.” 

Her cheeks grew even warmer at the admission, but she knew it was true.Anyone who saw Ruby at work could tell that she would be a wonderful mother - the kind that loved her children more than anything else in the world.

“Me?What about you?You’ll be the coolest mom ever!”

Watching Ruby play with Zwei, Weiss smiled and hoped that it was true.She didn’t know if they were there yet, but if they decided to go down that path...she would make sure she was nothing like her own parents.That should be a good start.

“Before you start looking up places,” she added, pushing Ruby’s phone down before they spent the entire evening searching for puppies.“We should eat dinner.”

After briefly pouting at the delay, Ruby willingly put her phone away and followed Weiss into the kitchen.

“What if we find brother and sister puppies? We couldn’t just _separate_ them!”

“We’ll see what happens…” Weiss replied, mentally marking off any visits to dog breeders, lest they come home with an entire litter of puppies.“What would you like for dinner?”

Raising one hand to her chin, Ruby thought about the question while looking around the kitchen.

Learning how to cook was...quite the process.Since Weiss had practically zero experience from her past life, and Ruby had minimal experience because Yang did a majority of the cooking, the two of them had burned, undercooked, or otherwise ruined many meals together.But, as much as Weiss disliked failing, it wasn’t so bad when Ruby failed with her.Plus, that’s what takeout menus were for.

Regardless, they still tried to make their food when they could. _If_ they could...

“How ‘bout _you_ sit here,” Ruby said, pulling out a stool at the island and patting the cushion.“And _I’ll_ make dinner!”

“But -”

“Because you’ve had a rough day!” Ruby answered before Weiss could even ask.“Work and your parents and running into that douchebag who might not be quite a douchebag anymore - all those things!You deserve to sit for a bit!”

Ordinarily, Weiss would argue to help, but she could already tell that Ruby was set on making this kind gesture for her - and she was loathe to turn Ruby down.

Weiss would just find some way to make it up to her later...

“What will you make?” Settling onto the barstool, Weiss watched Ruby buzz to the cabinets in search of ingredients and cookware.

“Spaghetti!”

The answer wasn’t at all surprising.Thus far, spaghetti was the only meal they’d mastered.It also happened to be one of Ruby’s favorites.

“Sounds delicious.”

Pulling out her phone and placing it on the island in front of her, Weiss gave it a long glance before shaking her head and watching Ruby fly around the kitchen.Something about the speed at which Ruby moved was calming - in a way that not many others would find calming.It always looked like she was on the cusp of falling or breaking something, but that hardly ever happened.Instead, Weiss absorbed the frenetic energy and converted it into a buzz of cheerfulness that was unique to Ruby’s presence.

A pot of water was set to boil, a pan of sauce started, and Ruby hummed a little tune to herself all the while.As they fell into a comfortable state of being - where neither of them felt compelled to speak - Weiss’ thoughts drifted through the information she’d learned today.

Cardin - happy, not such an all-around chauvinist, and completely whipped.

Her parents - unhappy, and finally doing something about that unhappiness.Her father would bury himself in his work to avoid the fallout of marriage, but her mother...

“You should just call her.”

Startled from her thoughts, Weiss realized she’d been staring at her phone - which Ruby picked up and held out to her.

“I doubt she wants me to call,” she said, leaning away from the device like Ruby was offering her hot coals.

“You never know unless you try, right?” 

With a small smile, Ruby wiggled the phone, but Weiss still didn’t take it.

“Why would I even call her?” she finally said, stumbling over the crux of her confusion.“She made our lives miserable, treated you horribly, and ordered me around my entire life.Divorce or not - why would I ever want to speak to a person like that again?”

Ruby knew all those reasons were valid but still responded with a kind, sympathetic smile.

“Because she’s your mom.”

“She’s a mean, unpleasant person.”

“She’s still your mom.”Ruby wiggled the phone again and, when Weiss didn’t take it, hopped up onto the island in front of her. 

“I know she wasn’t very nice, but if there’s a chance to salvage _some_ kind of relationship...isn’t it worth trying?”

Weiss thought about the question and sighed.She understood what Ruby was saying - wasn’t having one mother, even a horrible one, better than having none at all?Coming from the girl who’d lost her own mother too soon...

“Plus, then I’d have a real mother-in-law!” Ruby added with a grin.“That might be pretty cool.”

Scoffing at the idea, Weiss shook her head in an attempt to clear away the thought before Ruby latched onto it.

“My mother would be the worst mother-in-law imaginable.”

“You never know!”

“I _do_ know,” Weiss said, but when Ruby gave her that kind, patient expression, she sighed again.“At least, I thought I did…”

On every day up until this one, Weiss hadn’t cared one bit what her mother’s life was like.Foolishly, she’d thought nothing had changed - that the woman kept the same routine with or without a daughter to boss around.But after the news today…

Why should Weiss care?Her mother nearly forced her into a loveless marriage - 

Just like the marriage the woman was trying to get away from, herself.

Burying her face in her hands, Weiss groaned as indecision consumed her. 

“If you don’t want to talk to her, I’ll call!”

“What?”Looking up, Weiss found that Ruby was serious about the offer.“You would?”

“Yeah!It’ll be a test!If she’s mean to me, then we know nothing’s changed and can try again in a few more years.If she’s nice, then maybe she’s changed a little bit!”

Surprisingly, that didn’t sound like such a bad idea.

“Whatdya say?”Wiggling the phone again, Ruby waited for Weiss’ answer - again displaying far more patience than on any typical day.

But Ruby had always been this way.When the moment counted, she would wait.She would be patient.She would give Weiss the opportunity to think through her options and come to a conclusion.

It reminded her very much of their first kiss - when Ruby hadn’t put any pressure on Weiss to explain what had sent her to Ruby’s apartment in tears.It reminded her of the day they’d finally gotten together - when Ruby had waited outside the church for her.And it reminded her of so many instances since then - when Ruby displayed her love for Weiss by being patient, understanding, and endlessly supportive.

This was another one of those moments - where Weiss had as much time as she needed to weigh this idea and come to a decision.

While it was unconventional, it could be the solution to Weiss’ uncertainty.The last thing she wanted was for her mother to say something rude to Ruby, but she knew that the most realistic outcome would be a dial tone after the woman hung up.

“I suppose…” she began, her brow furrowing as she thought through the ‘solution’ several more times.“I suppose that if she can be civil to you, I’d be more willing to speak to her…”

“Then I’m gonna call - k?I’m gonna call her?”

Again, Ruby gave Weiss every opportunity to back out or change her mind - but she didn’t.Instead, she nodded - and then immediately wondered how Ruby had convinced her that this was a good idea. 

It was too late now, as Ruby quickly found the contact information in Weiss’ phone and pressed dial.As Ruby held the phone to her ear, Weiss stood up and leaned close enough that she could hear the other side of the conversation.

One ring.

“She probably won’t answer.”

Two rings.

“You never know,” Ruby whispered back.

Three rings and Weiss knew she was right.Her mother was either busy or didn’t want to talk -

“Hello?”

At the sound of her mother’s voice, Weiss’ eyes widened - shocked that the woman had accepted the call.

“Hi, Mrs. Schnee!” Ruby said with a smile.“It’s Ruby, actually - you know, the girl you didn’t want your daughter to marry?”

“How could I forget...is everything alright?Is Weiss ok?”

Upon hearing the question - which could only be described as genuine concern for Weiss’ wellbeing - Weiss and Ruby shared a look.

That couldn’t be right though.Her mother was capable of worrying about her?Hadn’t her entire childhood proved otherwise?

“Oh, yeah!” Ruby quickly replied.“Everything’s fine - Weiss is fine.Sorry to worry you!”

“Oh…well, good.”

The call drifted to silence - the awkward kind that made Ruby’s knee jitter with nerves.

“U-um, right,” she stammered.“Uh, anyway, so I was just calling because Weiss doesn’t know if she wants to talk to you, but she might if you talk to me!”

Hearing the outright honesty, Weiss covered her eyes with one hand and shook her head.But what else had she expected?Ruby couldn’t lie to save her life.

There was silence at the other end of the line - a silence that lasted so long Weiss thought her mother had hung up rather than deal with Ruby’s effusive happiness.That would answer their question though.If she couldn’t even talk to Ruby for three seconds -

“How have you been?”

Hearing the question, Weiss nearly sat down in surprise.

Was her mother going to make small talk?With Ruby, of all people?

“Pretty good!” Ruby answered, unperturbed by the unexpected question.“Work’s been busy, and I’m in charge since my sister’s on vacation - she’s traveling with her girlfriend on a book tour thing.”Pausing only long enough to take a deep breath, Ruby then continued.“And Weiss has been pretty busy doing important work stuff - she opened up this giant factory downtown all by herself!And then sponsored all these little league teams - that was super fun...”

“I heard - about the factory, at least.”There was another short pause before the woman added, “I’m afraid I underestimated her - in more ways than one.”

“I mean, yeah kinda,” Ruby replied, again choosing honesty over tact.“She’s only like a genius, you know.They keep giving her all these important tasks, and she keeps knocking them outta the park!”

“She was always quite intelligent…”

“More than that!She’s sooo smart and really...uh, what’s the word?Savvy!”

“Is that so...”

“Oh yeah, for sure!”Leaning back on the countertop, Ruby looked like she was having fun - wearing that big, goofy grin that said she was enjoying the topic at hand.Meanwhile, Weiss watched the entire conversation on the verge of pure shock - having no idea how it had continued this long. 

“She’s super amazing!” Ruby carried on, sending Weiss a warm, loving smile that made her heart skip a beat.“I’m sure she gets so many high fives at work, but I try to give her a lot when she gets home too!”

“High fives?”

“Yeah!You know that thing where two people slap hands?That thing.”

“Oh.Yes.That...gesture…”

In that comment, Weiss heard disdain and haughtiness creeping back into her mother’s tone.It was a sign that their time had run out, and her mother’s true personality was about to rear its ugly head.

But, before Weiss could signal to Ruby that it was time to hang up the call, her mother spoke again.

“And how are the two of you doing?”

Again, Weiss nearly sat down as her jaw dropped in shock. 

She’d _never_ had a conversation like this with her mother - not even one _remotely_ close to this.Yet here Ruby was...chatting away like they were old friends catching up.

“We’re doing great!” Ruby answered with a big grin, happily swinging her feet.“We were just talking about expanding our family!”

“...excuse me?”

“Yeah - we’re getting a puppy!So you’re gonna be a grandma!”Hearing the word, Ruby cringed and backpedaled.“I mean, not that you’re old or anything!You’re still really young!But like, officially you’d kinda be a grandma.Even if it’s just a puppy, I think you can still be a grandma, if you want.Even if you _don’t_ want to be...uh, well, we’re still getting a puppy...”

Trailing off, Ruby glanced at Weiss for feedback.Personally, Weiss thought the meandering sentences were adorable, so she gave Ruby a thumbs up.Her mother, on the other hand...

“Do you always ramble like this?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“I see…”There was a long pause on the other end of the line, which the woman was using either to collect herself or to determine the best reprimand to give Ruby.It had better be the former, because if she scolded Ruby...Weiss would have some not-very-nice words to say.

“If you happen to be free this weekend, would you care to have lunch?”

Or...the woman was using the silence to figure out how to ask Ruby to lunch?

“Uhhh…”Eyes wide, Ruby looked to Weiss for an answer but she raised her hands - silently telling Ruby it was up to her.Weiss had no idea what was going on anymore anyway.Every assumption she had about that conversation turned out wrong.

“Yeah, sure!Why not?” Ruby answered with another grin.“Have you ever been to Brown Bear Burritos?”

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of it, but I’m certain one of the chauffeurs can find it.”

Shaking her head, Weiss leaned over and whispered, “Stella’s,” in Ruby’s ear.

“Or I mean, we could go to Stella’s?” Ruby added before waiting for an answer.

“I am familiar with Stella’s,” Weiss’ mother responded.“But if you’d like to go to this...burrito place...then I’m more than happy to oblige.”

Weiss mouthed ‘wow’ to Ruby - stunned that her mother had agreed to go to a restaurant that didn’t have a name-recognizable chef.All to win Ruby over? 

When Ruby started giggling, Weiss stared at her in confusion.

“You say ‘burrito’ just like Weiss does!” Ruby said, smiling at the connection she’d just made.“Like it’s a dirty word or something - it’s so funny!”

Shaking her head, Weiss smiled - but she couldn't help but smile when Ruby was happy.

“Our household didn’t often eat...burritos,” Weiss’ mother answered - making Ruby giggle again at the word.

“Totally the opposite of mine.We had burritos all the time!”

As soon as the words left Ruby’s mouth, Weiss waited for the rebuttal - sensing the perfect opportunity for the woman to throw a condescending insult Ruby’s way.

“Whichever restaurant you’d prefer,” was the response instead.“It’s your choice, as my guest.”

“Stella’s,” Ruby replied with a nod.“Definitely Stella’s, but maybe next time we’ll get burritos.”

“Certainly.Would Sunday at noon work for you?”

“Uh, yeah, sure!” 

“I’ll meet you there then.”

Sensing that the conversation was wrapping up, Ruby looked at Weiss and shrugged.“Sounds good!”

“And if you would…” the woman added before a pause stretched out over the line - both Ruby and Weiss waiting for what would come next.“Please tell my daughter she’s more than welcome to join us.I’d...like to see her, if she’s free.”

“Don’t worry; I’ll invite her,” Ruby said, smiling at Weiss.“I’ll see you later then!”

“Yes.Thank you for calling, Ruby.”

“No problem!Have a great day!”

“You too.”

Hanging up the phone, Ruby blew a big puff of air through her lips.Then she smiled. 

“I kinda liked her too!” she said, setting Weiss’ phone down on the table with a laugh.“What do you think?”

“I...really don’t know what to think.”

Her mind was a scrambled mess at the moment.If her mother had been rude and cruel, as expected, she’d have no issue writing the woman off for good.Instead, Ruby was going to lunch with her on Sunday.

“I can’t believe that was my mother,” Weiss finally replied, pointing towards the phone.“Are you sure you called the right number?”

Giggling at the pseudo-joke, Ruby nodded.

“Positive!”

“Then…”Trailing off, Weiss tried to sort out her thoughts but quickly gave up with a shake of her head.“Then I guess we’re going to lunch this weekend.”

“No, no, no,” Ruby quickly replied, shaking her short, brunette hair all over the place.“You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.Unless you want to?”

Carefully considering the question, Weiss found that the idea of sitting at the same table as her mother wasn’t nearly as...off-putting as it used to be.If anything, a part of her was curious about what their relationship could be like now - when Weiss was happy, confident in her decisions, and not living under her parents’ thumbs.

“I don’t know if I _want_ to,” she answered honestly.“But I think I can.”

After thinking about it a little more, she shook her head and smiled at Ruby.“Of course, that could change multiple times between now and Sunday.”

“But that’s what you have me for!To support you!”

The statement was so genuine and sincere, it nearly brought tears to Weiss’ eyes.

Ruby was a never-ending fountain of support - bursting with encouragement and motivation unlike anything Weiss had ever experienced before.No matter what challenges she faced, she knew that Ruby was always on her side.Ruby was always in her corner.Ruby always had her back.Knowing that she wasn’t alone gave her confidence, and it was this confidence that helped her build a remarkable and rewarding life.

If they went to lunch and Weiss’ mother reverted to her old ways, it wouldn’t matter because Ruby would be right there beside her.The two of them could just stand up and walk out - together.

“Besides,” Weiss added.“Do you really think I’d let you have lunch with her alone?”Pausing for a second, she scoffed at the idea and shook her head.“I don’t think so.”

“I could totally hold my own!”

“Right...” Weiss replied in playful disbelief.“She’d eat you alive.”

“Well, I’ve been told I’m really sweet, so…”Letting the sentence trail off, Ruby grinned when Weiss smiled.

“You _are_ very sweet.Maybe she needs someone like you in her life.”Thinking about that comment for a second, Weiss felt her heart swell with affection for the girl sitting on the counter in front of her - the girl who could worm her way into anyone’s heart. 

Reaching out, she gently picked up Ruby’s hands. 

“ _I_ need you in my life.”

“D’aww... _now_ who’s the sweet one?”

“Still you.”

Leaning forward, Weiss pressed a kiss to Ruby’s lips, lingering for several seconds before pulling away - but remaining close enough to look deep into silver eyes.

“l love you, Ruby Rose-Schnee,” she said, meaning the words with every fiber in her being.She loved everything about Ruby - her friendliness, her hyperactivity, her adorable made-up rhymes and songs.And she loved that Ruby supported her no matter what, even if that meant pressing Weiss out of her comfort zone - to work with her father, or communicate with her mother - to become a better, more forgiving, more tolerant person.

With a happy giggle, Ruby scooted closer to the edge of the island and wrapped her legs around Weiss’ hips.

“l love you, Weiss Rose-Schnee,” she replied, kissing the tip of Weiss’ nose before pulling away with a loving smile.

Reaching up, Weiss ran her hand through Ruby’s hair, lightly grazing Ruby’s temple.

“Think dinner can wait?” she whispered, curling her fingers around Ruby’s ear before trailing down her neck and pulling her a little closer.

“Pretty sure,” Ruby replied, leaning down to Weiss with a mischievous glint in her silver eyes.“But what about Zwei?”

“He can stay down here.” 

When Ruby giggled, Weiss knew they agreed.Wiggling out of Ruby’s legs, Weiss hurried over to the stove and turned off the burners before grabbing Ruby’s hand and pulling the girl upstairs - hearing happy giggles all the while.

Most of her life had been spent doing what her parents told her to do - until she met Ruby.It had been a chance occurrence, yet it changed the course of her life.She’d discovered strength within herself that she never knew she possessed.She’d discovered that she could give up everything - including her name, her identity - for Ruby.

In the end, that hadn’t been necessary.She didn’t need to reinvent herself or start over from scratch.With Ruby’s help, she learned that she was already a decent person - she was just...missing something.

All this time, Weiss thought she needed to get rid of her last name to change who she was, but that wasn’t the case at all.Schnee wasn’t immutable.It wasn’t set in stone.It could be changed, altered, modified.And so…she’d added Ruby’s name to her own. 

But Rose came first - because Ruby was, and would always be, the most important piece of Weiss’ life.


End file.
